The Canadian Lutheran January/February 2019 Edition

The

CANADIAN

LUTHERAN www.canadianlutheran.ca

Volume 34 Number 1 | January/February 2019

Struggling Shepherds Church Workers and Mental Wellness INSIDE • Honourable Duty, Honourable Wound • Burning Out: A Pastor’s Story • Reclaiming My Voice: A Pastor’s Wife’s Story

Contents Features www.canadianlutheran.ca Volume 34 Number 1

January/February 2019

Honourable Duty, Honourable Wound Burning Out: A Pastor’s Story Reclaiming My Voice: A Pastor’s Wife’s Story Human Rights, the Church, and Canada’s Summer

Job Program

6 10 12 13

Departments Struggling Shepherds Page 9

Table Talk

Serving Those Who Serve

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In Review

Aquaman

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Presidential Perspective

Present in the Holy Word

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News Section International News

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Lutheran Leadership Development Program • Korean Lutherans celebrate 60 years • Annual World Watch List documents Christian persecution around the globe

National News The Canadian Lutheran is the national publication of Lutheran Church–Canada, published in Winnipeg six times per year: January/ February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November/December under the auspices of the Board of Directors (Committee for Communication and Technology).

ISSN #0383-4247 Member: Canadian Church Press Editor: Mathew Block Advertising: Marlene Mohr District News Layout: Marion Hollinger Subscriptions: $20/yr E-mail: editor@lutheranchurch.ca

All material and advertising should be in the office of The Canadian Lutheran five weeks prior to publication date. Advertising rate card available upon request.

The Canadian Lutheran 3074 Portage Ave. Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 Telephone: 204-895-3433 FAX: 204-832-3018 E-mail: editor@lutheranchurch.ca Materials published in The Canadian Lutheran, with the exception of Letters to the Editor, news reports, and advertising, receive doctrinal review and approval before publication. Contents of supplements are the responsibility of the organization purchasing the space. ©2019 Lutheran Church–Canada. Reproduction of a single article or column for parish use does not require the permission of The Canadian Lutheran.

Such reproductions, however, should credit The Canadian Lutheran as the source.

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Reading the Word of God in 2019 • Lutherans mark Sanctity of Life Sunday • Sign up for LCC Email Newsletter

West Region

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Showers of blessings • 60 anniversary of ordination celebrated • From Sudan to Canada • Parenting seminar outreach th

Central Region

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Christmas activities across the Region • Construction in Middle Lake • LWMLC convention set for June

East Region

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Celebrating 160 years of good news • Knitting and crocheting keeps hands busy for community • New executive director for LBTC

Mission News

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Theological training for Haiti’s Lutherans

Education News

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CLTS bids farewell to Dr. Torgerson • CLS welcomes visiting professor • Dr. Gimbel celebrates five years at CLS

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Letters to the Editor Transitions

Supplement

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Lutheran Foundation Canada REFLECTING GOD’S GRACE

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Plan. Make a difference… for your loved ones, and the ministries you value.

2019

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

“How can I leave a charitable gift to the ministries I value and still be a blessing to my family?”

Questions like this are very important. Lutheran Foundation Canada can help you with a gift plan that will benefit both.

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Letters to the Editor SPIRITUAL STARVATION I got excited when I saw the cover title of the September/November 2018 issue of The Canadian Lutheran: “That’s Too Catholic.” This is a complaint I hear regularly voiced about certain church practices and I was glad someone was going to address this topic. The articles were thoughtful and informative and did not disappoint.

However, in the discussion of the Sacraments, in particular on the Lord’s Supper, I wish the writer would have also talked about the benefits of having Holy Communion weekly.

I consider myself an experienced member of Lutheran Church–Canada, based on the fact that we move a lot and have been churchgoers in all seven of the cities we have lived in across Canada. It has been my experience that in most LCC churches, the Lord’s Supper is celebrated semi-monthly or every other week. We know that in the early church, the Christians met together daily for ‘the breaking of bread.’ In Luther’s time, Reformation churches celebrated the Sacrament “every Lord’s Day and on the other festivals” (Apology to the Augsburg Confession). Holy Communion was not the once a year event that has become common in some Protestant traditions. I have often wondered how this practice of “non-Communion Sundays” originated and have done some research.

It dates back to the early days of our churches. When European immigrants first founded Lutheran congregations in Canada, there were not enough ordained pastors to shepherd all the new churches. Consequently, multiple churches would be under the care of a single shepherd or circuit rider who would provide communion whenever he could get to town, be it only once or twice a month. I imagine you see what I am getting at: this irregular (i.e. not every Sunday) communion practice was generated by an imperfect situation, to deal with difficult circumstances. It was a matter of necessity, not choice. And this is still the case in many remote and multiple point parishes. But that imperfect scenario has become the chosen

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practice even for many churches who are blessed to have a pastor every week; we often participate in Divine Service, led by ordained pastors, without celebrating communion.

In my experience, the main argument among some for keeping communion semi-monthly was to keep it special. I am not here to make light of this view: this is the sentiment of many devout and faithful Lutherans who esteem the Sacrament and find they come to the altar reverent and better prepared when they do so less often.

Let’s assume for a moment that twice-monthly communion is adequate sustenance for the average Christian.

Many fields of work in our time— healthcare, retail, and hospitality— often require employees to work a certain number of weekends per month. Couple this with the likelihood of a weekend’s illness or travel and it becomes almost impossible for many laypeople to receive the Lord’s supper twice a month in a church that doesn’t offer weekly communion. If you are regularly away or work alternate Sundays, you could conceivably go to church for months without receiving the Lord’s Body and Blood and all its life-giving sustenance. Suddenly, your Christian walk is being undertaken without the heavenly support which God provides in His Supper. Is it any wonder people fall away when we are fighting the good fight without God’s offered armour? We are athletes fully engaged in the marathon without the benefit of the proper food.

You may not personally feel the need to commune more than twice a month, but you can be certain many people are getting it less than that. Those who prefer to go less often can choose not to go up to the rail, but isn’t it important to provide the opportunity to those who have a need? What if someone has come to church after a long absence, a repentant prodigal son, hungry for God’s forgiveness? Wouldn’t it be appropriate if God’s Means of Grace, the way He delivers His forgiveness to His children through His Divine Service was available in all its forms: Confession and Absolution, hearing

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

the Word, and receiving his very own Body and Blood? If you read even just the short discussion of the Sacrament of the Altar provided in Luther’s Small Catechism, you can clearly see that Holy Communion is a pretty wonderful gift, providing “forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.”

Amazing. And it’s yours, gift of God, freely given. As often as you eat and drink it. Now that is good news.

Elise Ristau Fort Erie, Ontario

HAVE YOUR SAY The Canadian Lutheran welcomes letters to the editor on ar ticles published in the magazine.

S e n d s u b m i s s i o n s to communications@ lutheranchurch.ca with “Letter to the editor” in the subject line.

Letters to the editor may also be sent in hard copy to the following address: The Canadian Lutheran c/o Lutheran Church–Canada 3074 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 Please note: letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Letters in response to other letters will generally not be published.

Table Talk

Serving Those Who Serve

by Mathew Block

“I

appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf” (Romans 15:30).

With these words, St. Paul called on the Christians in Rome to remember his trials and sufferings in their prayers, that God would strengthen him to face his current struggles and, if it be His will, bring him at last safely out of them.

We sometimes forget that the heroes of the faith, like St. Paul, were as human as you and me. We can fool ourselves into believing they were immune to the cares and worries of this world. But they weren’t. When times were tough, they felt it. They wrestled with discouragement, sorrow, and fear. St. Paul’s words above remind us that even those we consider spiritual giants need encouragement and prayer from everyday Christians.

The lesson applies to your local congregations too. He might not be St. Paul, but your pastor is similarly in need of prayer. And yet, it’s very easy to forget that. After all, when you are facing a crisis, your pastor is one of the first people you turn to for support. We seek them out for counselling when we’re facing life challenges, for prayer when we’re facing health issues, and for consolation when grieving the death of loved ones.

The problem is, we begin to see our relationship with pastors, deacons, and other church workers as working only one-way: we are the patients and they are the doctors. But even doctors get sick, and when they do they need support from others.

In the same way, those we turn to for spiritual care are sometimes the

ones in need of care themselves. But are we—as local congregations and as a larger institution—doing all we can to provide adequate care?

It’s not just Christians asking questions like these. As we were preparing this issue for press, CBC News published an article about clergy burnout. “Priests and pastors shoulder a huge emotional burden,” the headline reads, “but they’re burning out… alone.” Because clergy spend so much of their time hearing about and caring for those facing intense suffering, the article notes, they can begin to face “vicarious trauma” themselves.

One of our features this issue— “Honourable Duty, Honourable Wound” (see page six)—explains how this vicarious trauma works in practice, and the severe impact it can have on a church worker’s mental wellness. The article is a reprint from a secular publication and, as such, doesn’t quite describe the challenge in ways we normally might. We would want a greater emphasis on the consolation of Christ in the midst of suffering— and rightly so.

But articles like this one can help us consider the subject of mental and emotional wellness in a “Kingdom of the Left Hand” way— not just in the spiritual aspects which we in the church understand better. After all, challenges to mental wellness are not always (or even often) solely “spiritual” problems. They have real world causes and often require realworld treatment by doctors and counsellors. God seeks to bring healing to us in these ways too, serving through the vocations of trained healthcare professionals.

The Church brings its own expertise to bear in these situations as well. In this world of sin, there is no lasting answer to suffering except that found in Jesus. He is the ultimate source of consolation for life’s sorrows. He is a God who knows what it is to suffer. He longs to hold us close to His beating heart of love, to shower us with mercy and compassion in the midst of whatever crises we face.

We must repeat that message of comfort to one another again and again: pastors to people and people to pastors. “There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole,” go the words of the old African American spiritual (LSB 749). That balm is Christ.

Two other features this issue discuss church workers and mental wellness from a pastor/pastor’s wife perspective (see page 9). At their heart, these articles are meant to encourage church workers that it’s okay to recognize when they need care and to seek out support. I trust they will also spur laity to look for ways to provide that support more intentionally.

The congregation in Rome was called to pray for St. Paul; you are called to pray for the church workers in your congregation. Do as the Romans did, and strive in prayer with those who serve in your church, naming their sorows and difficulties in prayer before God. And don’t stop just at praying.

Consider how God might use you and your congregation to be an answer to these prayers—the ways in which you might offer spiritual care and practical support for church workers in need.

We are all servants one to another.

God give us wisdom and strength to serve as we ought.

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Honourable Duty, Honourable Wound What’s the difference between a hero and a warrior?

by Jennifer Ackerman

Editor’s Note: In 2018, The Crow (a publication of the School of Journalism at the University of Regina) published a profile of Rev. DJ Kim, a Lutheran Church– Canada Missionary at Large who serves as a chaplain to police in Regina and Moose Jaw and provides street ministry. Pastors are called to administer spiritual care to their flock. But what happens when the pastor is the one in need of spiritual care?

The following is an excerpt. You can read the full story online at www.canadianlutheran.ca.

T

heir first meeting took place in Unit 4 during a game of ping-pong.

Michael Meszaros grew up in Regent Park, back when it was Toronto’s roughest neighbourhood. A life of gangs, crime, and drugs followed him to Regina at age twelve. And now he was doing time at the Paul Dojack Youth Centre, a facility for young offenders.

Fifteen years old and paddle in hand, his smile was met by another as Padre DJ Kim walked into the Unit. The padre made his way towards him almost immediately.

The unlikely pair played ping-pong for a while and then sat down to chat. For reasons he can’t explain, Meszaros found himself able to talk to the padre in ways he had never been able to with anyone else.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

During his time in Dojack, Kim would come see him twice a week. Meszaros finally had someone who was there for him no matter what. For the first time, he shared his life story without fear of being judged. He didn’t know why he trusted the padre so much. Perhaps it was Kim’s positive energy. He was the only person to truly accept Meszaros for who he was despite his crimes.

Six years later, Meszaros sits in a non-contact visitors’ room at the Regina Provincial Correctional Centre, an adult facility. He is three months away from finishing his latest in a string of sentences.

“I’ve spent eight plus years of my life in jail and no matter what, he never turns me down. He’s always there for me,” says Meszaros. “He makes me want to live for something.”

So for Meszaros and many others who grew to rely on the Kim, it would have been a surprise to hear that a few years earlier, a particularly dark thought had entered Kim’s mind as he stared at his reflection in the mirror.

The world would be better off without me.

Nightmares. Withdrawal.

Loneliness.

The weight wore on Kim right from the start, but a carefully constructed mask hid his struggle from the outside world.

He had made the switch from the church to the street, again. [In 2007, he was encouraged to become a chaplain with the Royal Rifles. He left his longterm ministry in Neudorf, Saskatchewan and moved to Regina, eventually serving as a chaplain to police forces and engaging in street ministry.] He was back where he belonged—on the front lines, helping “broken people.” But the trauma of others wore on his spirit and his mind.

Irritability. Anger. Depression.

Still he listened. A police officer recounted a violent murder. A war vet described holding his buddy’s hand, attached to half a body, the other half blown up by a roadside bomb. A gang member recalled years of child abuse.

How can humans do these kinds of things to other humans? The question circled Kim’s mind as he talked with, cried with, and sat with one broken soul after another, year after year. His number one goal was to be the best padre, the best caregiver. He excelled at it, but that pursuit turned him into something else at home.

“I started reexperiencing their ex p e r i e n c e s a n d t h e n I found myself almost becoming a monster,” recalls Kim. The mask he wore at work—the one he used to convince people he was the same happy, positive Kim they had all grown to know and love—came off the moment he walked through the door at home. He distanced himself from his wife Miji. By not talking about his work and the affect it was having on him, he believed he was shielding her from the trauma.

But then it bottled up inside. His temper flared.

“You’re nasty to me, sometimes too much,” Miji said.

“This is not you.”

She urged him to get help. He didn’t listen. One night, about three years after Kim began street ministry in Regina, they got into a big fight. It started over something small, but as pent up feelings burst out into the open like rushing water through floodgates, things got out of control.

“I never ever laid a hand on my wife,” says Kim. “I just destroyed everything in the house.”

The next thing he knew, the police were knocking at his door. An unmasked Kim stood before their eyes.

Shame and indignity overwhelmed him. Miji left. Now home alone, he stared into the mirror in the basement of their home. This is it. You lost your dignity, your

self-pride and you’re just about to lose your love, your wife. He found himself trapped in a dark box, feeling unbearably alone.

“All the sermons I was preaching to people, ‘Praise to God, God is the strength, God is the rock of strength, God is a fortress.’ All bullshit. All gone,” thought Kim. He lost faith in God. He lost faith in humanity. He lost faith in himself. And the idea of suicide, something he never fully understood until this moment, was suddenly calling. The world would be better off without me.

Hero or Warrior?

“What’s the difference between a hero and a warrior?” asked psychologist Dr. Dennis Arbuthnott.

It’s a question Kim will never forget. It’s the question that saved him.

At first the answer seemed obvious. A hero and a warrior? They are the same. They are willing to die for their beliefs and the rights of others.

Yes, replied the doctor, but there is one important difference between the two. A hero dies on the battlefield and he ceases to be of help. A warrior knows when he is wounded and when to retreat and heal.

“So DJ, it’s going to be our journey together,” Arbuthnott told him. “This is my job, helping you be able to switch from your hero mode to the warrior mode. You are here. You are wounded, badly wounded.

This is time for you to recover from your wound and then once you are healed you can go back to your battlefield.”

“It had a very profound effect on him and I think that was one of the things that had him say, ‘This man understands me,’” says Arbuthnott three-and-a-half years later. He has been given permission by Kim to share some of their sessions.

A veteran psychologist, Arbuthnott spent more than 30 years of his career working with police officers and members of the military. Like DJ, he was familiar with the kind of trauma his patients suffered and he understood the weight it burdened DJ with—a burden that materialized into symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder through secondary trauma.

Dr. Nick Carleton, a psychology professor at the University of Regina, specializes in operational stress injuries including PTSD. “Indirect exposure is receiving increasing attention in the literature because of growing amounts of evidence that in fact you don’t necessarily need to be actually there… in order for you to have difficulties,” he says.

He lost faith in God. He lost faith in humanity. He lost faith in himself. And the idea of suicide, something he had never fully understood until that moment, was suddenly calling.

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While there are many factors that impact something as complicated as mental health, Carleton says there are four broad symptom groups associated with PTSD, whether through direct or indirect exposure to trauma: Re-experiencing trauma through dreams or intrusive thoughts; avoiding stimuli related to the traumatic event; negative thoughts and mood, including being more likely to believe negative things about yourself; and hyperarousal—irritability and hypervigilance.

While Kim attempted to hide his struggles from the world, not everyone was fooled.

“People were talking and saying that padre’s not really himself,” remembers Shane Zess, regimental sergeant major with the Royal Regina Rifles.

Michael Meszaros also noticed a change. “He seemed really stressed out and that’s when I kind of stopped talking about my issues. I started listening to his issues,” he recalls.

Taking six months off work, Kim saw Dr. Arbuthnott once a week. Through a combination of medication, cognitive behavioural treatments, and mindfulness he slowly began to heal. He learned how to open up to his wife and he found ways to cope—a work out at the gym, the unconditional love of his dogs Heinz, Annie and Simba. Now when Kim sees a sign of stress he recognizes it as a red flag. It’s a signal to retreat from the field and take care of himself.

Recognizing a need for more support, Lutheran Church–Canada’s Central District set up a local committee to meet with Kim at least twice a year, more if he feels the need. The church now fully funds his mission.

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“I used to believe that my role was helping people— not asking for help,” says Kim. “But now I can say if I need help, I never hesitate asking.”

He said these words just after a scheduled surgery.

An ankle replacement would have him off his feet—and off the job—for at least six weeks.

Before the surgery, he went to Dojack to tell the boys he’d be away for a while. It pained him to think about not being there for them if they needed it.

“What?!” they yelled. They were angry.

“I am so scared because I’ve never ever done this kind of major surgery,” Kim admitted to them.

“You’re scared?” they asked.

“Yeah,” he answered. “So I’m going to ask you guys, pray for me right now.”

And they did, twelve street-toughened youth in the maximum security wing of the Paul Dojack Youth Centre, home to the most violent offenders. They gathered around Kim, each placing a hand on him. One of them said a prayer.

The professional preacher was outdone by a boy.

“So you may ask why I keep on doing this,” says Kim. “Because of that love.”

“It’s a fact of my life as long as I’ve been in this type of ministry—having nightmares, bad dreams, some emotional crashes,” he says. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I’m happy.”

“Why? Honourable duty, honourable wound.”

Jennifer Ackerman is a journalist with the Regina Leader-Post. This article first appeared in the Fall 2018 issue of The Crow, and is reprinted here with permission.

Struggling Shepherds Church Workers, Their Families, and Mental Wellness

“Did you hear Rev. ____ left the ministry?”

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n church circles, that kind of conversation opener is all too common—a sign of the growing danger of burnout affecting pastors everywhere.

Mental and emotional well-being seem to be on everyone’s radar these days—and with good reason. We have often been guilty of ignoring signs and situations that require greater care and support as people face challenges to their mental well-being.

The church isn’t exempt from this either. But what happens when the people we turn to for spiritual support are themselves in need of support? What happens when it’s church workers and their families who are struggling?

Studies have suggested that in the United States, nearly 4 in 5 pastors are burnt out or in danger of burning out. The following two articles—written by a pastor and his wife—unpack just one of those stories. It’s a strong reminder for us all to keep our pastors, deacons, and other church workers—along with their families— in prayer, and to support them in every practical way that we can. After all, we are a church together: just as our pastors care for us, we are called as faithful laypeople to care for our pastors.

The following two articles talk a bit about Doxology, a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran

Church—Missouri Synod. Doxology describes itself as “the Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care and Counsel,” and aims to support pastors as they assist people struggling with the ever-increasing personal, family, and social complexities of contemporary life.

That’s just one of the support options available to church workers experiencing burnout or similar conditions. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod recently launched a new webpage (www.lcms.org/ wellness) providing a wide range of resources to promote church worker wellness. Lutheran ChurchCanada’s Worker Benefit Plans may also have resources and programming to assist church workers facing mental wellness challenges—be it burnout or something else.

If you are a church worker struggling with mental or spiritual wellness, don’t go it alone. Please contact your Regional Pastor for support. He is your pastor, and he is called to care for you. Please also consider speaking with fellow church workers at circuit and winkel meetings for support and encouragement. As the book of Ecclesiastes says, “Though one maybe overpowered, two can defend themselves: a cord of three strands is not quickly broken” (4:12).

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Burning Out A Pastor’s Story

by David Haberstock

Something seemed off. What were we missing? I’m a pastor—best job in the world, right? So how could anything be wrong? My family is okay. My marriage is okay. New parish. New challenges.

Untold blessings that I am thankful to the Lord for. What’s wrong? Why am I angry at times without knowing why?

M

y wife had told me for years that I needed to get a further degree and eventually teach. (That had been my original plan, till being blessed with my wonderful wife and children). She always thought I was bored.

Then I went to a professional development program for pastors called Doxology where they talked about being “burnt out” and “compassion fatigue.” As they discussed the signs and stages of these conditions, I thought: “There’s something to this. I’ve got snippets of these thoughts, feelings, and behaviours at many of the stages of burnout and compassion fatigue. I’ll have to look at that when I have time.”

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It was the end of June 2017 that I went to the first Doxology “Gathering.” It was a four-day intensive retreat of meditation on God’s word, prayer, discussing mental health, and pondering the art and practice of being a Seelsorger—German for something like “Doctor of Souls.” It’s an old Lutheran way of talking about the ministry of a pastor. He is a doctor of souls—someone who has the healing balm that all men need, because he has been called and authorized by our Lord Jesus Christ (through the Church) to hand out the fruits of the tree of life at the right time in the right way.

It all sounded good at the time. But then, summer kicked in. Vacations. Other priorities at church. No time to ponder what I’d learned at the Gathering. But I pushed my wife to come to the next Doxology retreat called the “Grand Reunion.” It wasn’t a marriage retreat. (What was it? We didn’t really know going in.) But pastors and their wives were supposed to attend together so they could be fed on God’s Word in worship, attend sessions on varying topics of faith and life, and— something very odd— actually sit together in worship, as well as spend time together with other adults without the kids!

I wa s o n h o l i d ay s just before the Grand Reunion, and decided to take another look at the things I’d studied at the previous Gathering. I wanted to learn whether I had ‘compassion fatigue’ or not. So I found the little survey they’d given me and tallied it up. Turns out, I was at very low risk for compassion fatigue. (Yay! I am still compassionate!)

The surprise was that I was instead at very high risk for burnout!

What a revelation. It made sense. My personal trouble was not so much boredom but burnout—burnout from a mishmash of expectations. Expectations parishioners had expressed to me that (as a people pleaser) I tried to live up to. Expectations that I perceived to be real, but were more about what I had placed on myself.

Expectations that have little to do with what my job as a pastor actually is—the job as Jesus defines it. Satan delights in me trying to minister from my own strength and resources, rather than from the authority and power Christ gives in His Word and Sacraments.

You’d think it would be one more nail in the coffin to be told you are at high risk for burnout. But for me,

it was inspiring. Now I can actually put my finger on what’s been off. Now I have a few strategies—written down in my Doxology notes—about what to do about it.

I have the correction and blessing of Jesus to be the pastor I’ve always wanted to be. I have another retreat to go to yet (along with a leader from my congregation). I have some consultation hours with the executive directors of Doxology that I can make use of. I have hope.

This was news to me, that I might be burning out.

I’ve always been pretty even-keeled. Emotionally stable.

But life throws us curve balls, and none of us can get through it on our own. We’ve all seen pastors who are wrestling with stress from difficulties in the parish or home life, or who are just going through the motions.

As Christians who care about each other and about our pastors, we know it’s not good. But what should we do about it? We don’t know. We can’t put our finger on what’s wrong.

Doxology helped me put my finger on it. And Doxology has given my wife and I a passion for helping my brother pastors and their families.

Doxology is expensive to go to (travel costs to the United States are quite high!), so it’s not going to be the answer for everyone.

(That’s one of the reasons we are exploring holding the program in Canada.)

B u t awa re n e s s o f t h e various mental health issues that pastors wrestle with is a start. We want to help improve the mental health of our pastors and their families, and thus of our congregations too!

A major component of that is increasing understanding of what the Bible (not our culture) says a pastor is: what his primary tools are (the Word, the Sacraments, prayer) in doing the ministry Christ has given to His Church. This can help both pastors and our parishes immeasurably.

This is a goal I and my wife share, as sinners under the mercy of Christ’s cross; as people who love Christ and His Church.

We’ve all seen pastors who are wrestling with stress from difficulties in the parish or home life, or who are just going through the motions. As Christians who care about each other and about our pastors, we know it’s not good. But what should we do about it?

Rev. David Haberstock is Regional Pastor of Lutheran Church– Canada’s Central Region. Since writing this article in 2018, Rev. Haberstock has found increased comfort and joy in chanting the Psalms daily. “Through this,” he notes, “the Lord is teaching me to pray and trust in Him to perform the tasks of ministry, rather than merely trusting in my own reason or strength.”

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Reclaiming My Voice A Pastor’s Wife’s Story

by Lise Haberstock

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wrote the first draft of this article in one sitting. Pages upon pages, ranting about mental health in the Church, focused mainly on pastors and their families—well me, really. Nothing I said was untrue, but the next morning I began to doubt my ability to make it public. Would our present congregation think I was talking about them? What about our former one? Can I talk about this without being judged because of my position as a pastor’s wife? Fear was stilling my hand again.

I am afraid. Afraid of your judgement, of your anger, of your frustration. Let me set this straight for you. I don’t blame anyone. I’m not angry; I’m sad. Sad that I let this happen. I lost my story. I gave away my voice. I thought I knew what I was getting into. I thought I knew when I married a pastor what I was in for. I’m not a regular person, I’m not a member of the congregation—I’m just the pastor’s wife. Let me explain how I found that out.

I didn’t want to go to Doxology’s 2017 “Grand Reunion” event (an event advertised for pastors and their wives). I’d looked at the website; it wasn’t my thing. My husband talked me into it. In my head I was entering my martyr state, telling myself: “I’m doing this for him, for my husband, the pastor.”

The conference was scheduled for Kansas in August.

Ugh! Why can’t these things be in January when I want to leave the snow? Anything hotter than 28° C is not my favourite place to be.

We went anyway. Three plane rides (the last one I’m pretty sure was held together by duct tape and chewing gum), one car rental, and we were finally there: Doxology: The Grand Reunion. Wait? Why a “reunion”?

We’re late, so we grab a seat. I spend the next 20 minutes trying to grasp the point the speaker is making. Just when I figure out what’s going on, he’s done. I’m confused. This is about pastors. There’s a lot of black shirts in the room.

What does this have to with me?

Three days later I knew exactly what this had to do with me. In some ways, it’s hard to explain what Doxology is. It may be different for everyone. For me, it was a shake-up. I was a puzzle, but someone had put my pieces together wrong.

Doxology made me see that I was still me; I just needed to rearrange the pieces. I had my faith, my family, friends, and work, but my life was becoming a check list. I wasn’t living my life, I was just getting through it.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

I’d forgotten what life was like before I married my husband. Before it was “normal” to constantly watch what I said. Was it when I heard one elder say: “A pastor’s wife should be seen and not heard”—is that when I gave away my voice? Is that when I stopped easily giving my opinion on church matters? I didn’t even notice. It was my new normal.

I’d always been good at setting boundaries, or so I thought. We had it all together, didn’t we? When did my faith in people get so low? Was I bitter about the way my husband got the blame for problems at church? I am heartbroken watching him beat himself up wondering what he didn’t do. What he could have done to stop someone from turning their back on God. Even when we would go on vacation, his body was with us but his mind was back at the parish. He never gave himself a break from all the stress.

Is that maybe why I gave away my narrative? Did I not want to be one more burden to him?

I’m glad he pushed, prodded, and cajoled me into going to the Doxology conference. It made me step out of my own puzzle and take a look at the bigger picture. I had let it happen. I had given my joy away. I had let hurt control my behaviour. In the process, I had forgotten that there are some amazing people in my church doing wonderful things.

I miss being a part of that.

Many pastors and their families are in the midst of crisis and we need to acknowledge that. Some end up walking away. Some are just going through the motions. At Doxology I looked around at a room of broken, hurting people (myself included) and knew I was in the right place to start. We need to start talking about the pain, the hurt, and the pressure that those in ministry are dealing with. All of them were called, they answered, and now they are hurting.

So, what’s my plan? I plan to keep learning. I plan to keep talking. I plan to keep healing. This is my new normal. I’m broken and with the grace of God I will heal and perhaps try and help others to heal as well. There is joy, an abundance of it everywhere. Doxology reminded me of that. I’d forgotten.

Lise Haberstock is wife to Rev. David Haberstock, and a former community facilitator for people with acquired brain injuries. Since writing this article in 2018, she has begun exploring career paths through which she can assist people with mental health challenges. In January, she began upgrading her credentials in pursuit of a master’s degree in Social Work.

Human Rights, the Church, and Canada’s Summer Jobs Program

by Colin Liske

W

hile it is true to say that the proper task of the church is the proclamation of the Gospel, it is also true that Christians need to relate to the world around them, a world where human rights are very important and where many new human rights are being claimed today.

As such, it is important to note that the new federal government Summer Jobs Program for 2019 may still violate the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Up until 2017 all applicants could freely express their own values. In 2018 they could not do so. That year the Summer Jobs Program required all applicants to tick a box which demanded that they attest to a number of relatively new legal rights that were set forth by the government, rights that run counter to the Bible.

The attestation required for the 2019 program is itself more general, stating simply that ‘the Summer Jobs Program will not be used to undermine or restrict the exercise of rights legally protected in Canada.’

Some of the rights in question have recently been added to the Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977, as updated on June 19, 2017, saying that included in prohibited grounds of discrimination are sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. The requirements of the 2019 Summer Jobs Program also explicitly mention that these relatively new legal rights cannot be violated.

F u r t h e r, t h e n ew S u m m e r Jobs Program requirements state

that projects or job activities that “actively work to undermine or restrict a woman’s access to sexual or reproductive health services” are not eligible. Undermining or restricting is then defined as to “weaken or limit.”

But what exactly does this mean? These new requirements for the Summer Jobs Program not only still contradict the Bible, but they also may very well violate the fundamental, natural freedoms of expression, of conscience, and of religion that are guaranteed in the Charter. Does ‘weakening’ a woman’s access to ‘reproductive health services’ also include speaking against this at a youth summer camp, or distributing such pamphlets? It probably does.

Our fundamental freedoms were historically and philosophically based on ‘natural law’ or ‘natural rights,’ which meant that they could not be changed. This philosophy says that all people possess these natural or fundamental human

rights by nature, by the simple fact that they are human beings.

Cicero, like other Stoics, taught in The Republic (first century B.C.) that “There is in fact a true law— namely, right reason—which is in accordance with nature, applies to all men and is unchangeable and eternal.” In his Second Treatise of Government, John Locke, the British philosopher of 17th century England who so greatly influenced t h e s h a p e r s o f revo l u t i o n a r y America, reflected Cicero and many others in speaking of this Law or State of Nature when laying down the philosophical foundations of human rights.

This understanding of natural rights asserts that such natural human rights must not be taken away from the people by governments. People have these rights by nature. These natural and fundamental rights are also to be distinguished from other legal rights that may be created in law by governments. This means that

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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our core natural human rights cannot be superseded by, balanced by, interpreted by, or compromised by other newly created legal rights.

The tragedy of the attestation requirement in the government’s Summer Jobs Program is not simply that it still appears to violate natural and fundamental freedoms, but also that it undermines the very basis of the existence of any human rights whatsoever—including every other new human right that might be created by law. Without a solid, unchanging basis of natural rights, the only authority for any ‘human rights’ that can be claimed at all is that held by virtue of power a l o n e, l e g a l p owe r wielded by whichever government happens to be in power at the time. At such a point, the claim that “might makes right,” as portrayed in Plato’s Republic, is again live and well.

Nor does the notion that the new attestation can simply be applied to the ‘active work’ of the organization applying for funds provide any clarification, for it is in the very nature of these natural, fundamental freedoms to be carried out in public activities, not just in one’s own internal conscious believing or thinking. Apparently, the government last year objected to certain participants in the Summer Jobs Program distributing pamphlets that reject some of the values the government promotes.

But the writing and distributing of such pamphlets is an activity that is done in freedom of expression. Item 2b of the Charter says that freedom of expression includes “freedom of the press and other media of communication.” Activities done in freedom of expression cannot be taken out of the public square. It is not freedom of expression when expression is shoved into a closet.

But how does all this relate to the Church? While Scripture does

not speak the language of human rights, the law that St. Paul speaks of in Romans 1:18-27 and the conscience he references in Romans 2:12-16 (including this law that was “written on our hearts”) has always been in general agreement with the philosophic tradition of natural law in the western world. This tradition of natural law began in western philosophy at least with the Stoics, even before the time of Christ.

They held that there were natural laws that governed ethics just as

Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To begin abandoning this human rights tradition, as our federal government still appears intent on doing, is most perilous.

While the pursuit of human rights is not the primary task of the church, Christians and nonChristians alike would nevertheless d o we l l t o wa r n a g a i n s t t h e development of new legal rights which undermine traditional fundamental and natural human rights. The survival of real human rights depends on it.

In the meantime, Christians would be wise not to accept g ove r n m e n t f u n d s through the Summer Jobs Program or agree to the new attestation; the details make it appear tainted. One cannot help but think of the words of columnist Father Raymond J. de Souza, who last year called the funds the government’s “thirty pieces of silver.”

Christians would be wise not to accept government funds through the Summer Job Program or agree to the new attestation.

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there were laws that governed the physical world. Luther himself appealed to conscience, as well as reason, at the Diet of Worms.

Together, these philosophers and Christians in the western world thus ultimately forged a political consensus on the basis of natural law. This culminated in the western tradition of law and human rights, which informed the constitutions of a number of countries in the western world, as well as the United Nations’

Rev. Colin Liske is a retired philosophy teacher and Lutheran Church–Canada pastor living in Nanaimo, B.C.

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International News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Training the next generation of Confessional Lutheran leaders: Lutheran Leadership Development Program ready to launch WORLD - As a new year gets u n d e r way, t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Lutheran Council and its partners are preparing for the first class of the Lutheran Leadership Development Program (LLDP).

This two-year certificate program aims to provide Lutheran church bodies around the world an opportunity to develop leaders who are competent in both solid confessional Lutheran theology as well as practical skills in leadership and resource management.

The LLDP is a project of the International Lutheran Council working in cooperation with The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, Concordia Publishing House (CPH), and Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana (CTSFW).

“We’re are grateful for our partners in this project, and are excited to work with them in raising up a new generation of global Confessional Lutheran leaders,” said Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, General Secretary of the ILC. “We look forward to welcoming the LLDP’s first class of students in just a few weeks, and pray for God’s blessings on their studies.”

The first class of students in the LLDP will gather for instruction at the Old Latin School in Wittenberg, Germany from February 18-March 1, 2019. Future classes over the next two years will be held at Concordia Theological Seminary

in Fort Wayne and Concordia Publishing House in St. Louis, Missouri.

Rev. Dr. Naomichi Masaki of CTSFW serves as Director of the Lutheran Leadership Program. For more information on the program, including details on student learning outcomes, a description of course requirements, and admission details, visit the ILC’s website at www.ilconline.org.

Breath of God, Yet Work of Man: First LLDP resource published Course materials for the Lutheran Leadership Development Program are being prepared in partnership between CTSFW and CPH, with the first of these new resources just unveiled. Breath of God, Yet Work of Man: Scripture, Philosophy, Dialogue, and Conflict is now available for pre-order from Concordia Publishing House.

Edited by Rev. Charles P. Schaum and Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, the book features definitions, benefits, and discussions of Lutheran biblical interpretation. The authors explain tensions that underlie the use of

Scripture in Christian witness, acts of mercy, and life together.

While developed especially for use in the Lutheran Leadership Development Program, the book will also be of interest to a broader audience. “The authors have assembled a massive amount of material that will challenge readers to think more carefully about how we read the Holy Scriptures and confess the faith today,” notes Rev. Dr. John T. Pless, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry and Missions at CTSFW. “This is a provocative book that will engage both those within and outside of the Missouri Synod in coming to understand the development of modern hermeneutics.”

Download a sample of the book by visiting CPH’s website at https:// books.cph.org/breath-of-god.

Support the training of Confessional Lutheran Leaders around the world You can support the Lutheran Leadership Development Program and its work in preparing confessional Lutheran leaders for churches around the world through online giving at www.ilc-online. org/donate/.

You can also make donations by mail to the following address: International Lutheran Council PO Box 18775 St. Louis, MO 63118

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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International News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Korean Lutherans celebrate 60 years

SOUTH KOREA – The Lutheran Church in Korea (LCK) held its 48 th regular convention October 10-12, 2018 at Luther University in Yongin, South Korea, during which time the church celebrated 60 years of Lutheran witness in Korea. The gathering took place under the theme “Arise, Shine.”

The first Lutheran outreach in Korea took place in 1832, but sustained Lutheran ministry in the country did not take place until 1958, when The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) established mission work in the region. That work was undertaken by three American missionaries (Paul Bartling, Maynard Dorow, and Kurt Voss) and their families,

along with one Korean clergyman, Dr. Won-Yong Ji, who had received his doctorate from the LCMS’ Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.

The church achieved independence in 1971. Today, the LCK counts more than 5,000 members in more than 50 churches across the country, though it has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands more through various mass-media mission programs like the Lutheran Hour and the Bethel Bible study program.

L C M S P re s i d e n t M a t t h ew Harrison was present for the event, bringing greetings to the church as it celebrates 60 years of Lutheranism in Korea. On

October 10, the two churches took the opportunity to reaffirm their ties to one another, with LCK President Young-Seok Jin and LCMS President Harrison signing an updated protocol document between the two churches. The document will guide continued cooperation between the two churches going forward.

The Lutheran Church in Korea is a member church of the International Lutheran Council (ILC). Rev. Dr. Albert Collver, General Secretary of the ILC, was also present for anniversary celebrations in Korea.

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Annual World Watch List documents Christian persecution around the globe WORLD - “Countries in Asia are quickly becoming the new hotbed of persecution of Christians.” That’s one of the take-aways from the 2019 World Watch List, which ranks the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian. Nearly one in every three Christians in Asia is the victim of persecution.

For the eighteenth year in a row, North Korea has again been ranked the worst country in the world for persecution of Christians.

“Christians face extreme levels of pressure and violence in all areas of life,” notes the 2019 report. “Even just owning a Bible is illegal.”

“If Christians are discovered, they are sent to labour camps, tortured, or even killed on the spot,” the report continues. “Their families, considered guilty by association, share the same fate.”

Ra n k i n g a s t h e n ex t m o s t dangerous countries in the world for Christians are: Afghanistan, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen, Iran, and—entering into the top ten for the first time ever—India. “ N a t i o n a l i s t g ove r n m e n t s l i ke I n d i a a re c o n t i n u i n g t o deny freedom of religion to their minority religious groups,” the report explains. “Believers in rural areas especially are facing discrimination, restrictions, closure of churches, torture, imprisonment, and in some cases, martyrdom for their faith.”

Rising dramatically in the Watch List this year is China, which has moved to 27th place from 43rd. “In China the situation is worse than it’s been in more than a decade,” the report notes grimly. “In an increasing

number of cases, Bibles have been confiscated, churches raided, and pastors fined and arrested.”

More than 245 million Christians across the globe are suffering under high levels of persecution— an increase from 215 million the previous year. Worldwide, at least 4,283 Christians were martyred for their faith in 2018. Over the same time, more than 3,127 Christians were detained and imprisoned, and at least 1,467 churches and Christian buildings were attacked.

T h e Wo r l d Wa t c h L i s t i s prepared annually by Open Doors International, an international m o n i t o r i n g a g e n cy. Yo u c a n download the full 2019 World Watch List report and learn more about the persecuted church at Open Doors’ website at: www. opendoors.org.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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National News www.canadianlutheran.ca

LCC Worker Benefits Services Hosts Strategic Planning Session

WINNIPEG - Approximately twelve employer representatives (congregational leaders from across Canada), with four member representatives, as well as staff and board members of Worker Benefit Services (WBS-LCC) took part in a Strategic Planning Session on January 27-28, 2018.

The session, held in Winnipeg, came as a result of the feedback from the 16 Regional meetings WBS sponsored in 2018 where employers—mostly congregations— expressed a desire to engage more directly with the board of WBS on issues facing employers. The session included a review of the current WBS strategic plan developed in 2010, and solicited advice from the group on some critical issues facing the worker benefit plans. The session was organized by Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) staff under the direction of Dwayne Cleave, the administrator of LCC, and facilitated

by Dr. Dieter Kays, chair of the WBS board.

The session kicked off Sunday evening with President Timothy Teuscher offering words of welcome and a devotion centered on Luther’s words to the church about their responsibility for their pastor’s wellbeing. The rest of Sunday and Monday morning, the group was given a statistical overview of the state of our overall church body, the current benefits church workers receive, and an orientation of the current WBS’ Strategic Plan. This included the accomplishments in

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implementing each strategic direction over the last number of years.

While participants determined that while most of the current plan continues to be relevant, slight modifications were made to the mission, vision and values statements. In the area of strategic directions, sustainability of the plans (in the light of declining church membership) continued to be a primary direction. Participants suggested that joint responsibility between the member and employer continued to be critical and that WBS should look for ways members and employers could encourage church workers to engage in personal health promoting activities.

Tuesday afternoon dealt with specific issues about which the WBS board needs to make decisions. The discussions at this session resulted in a number of recommendations. The group benefit plan was reviewed with participants suggesting that the current flex plan, where approximately 75 percent of

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

church workers chose one option, be eliminated for a more traditional group plan where everyone is enrolled in the same option. This would save administrative dollars, some of which could be reinvested in other valued member benefits. Health Spending Accounts were also discussed with the group unanimously advising against such a plan since it tends to benefit primarily younger, healthier members. (The WBS board in a subsequent meeting has authorized staff to solicit proposals from group benefit providers for costing a traditional group plan.)

In addition the planning forum discussed reducing the life insurance benefit from 5x to 3x annual salary for all members in order to bring it in line with other group benefit plans. It was again unanimously agreed to implement this, as long as a member could continue to purchase 5X annual salary at their own cost if this was a need.

A further issue discussed centred around placing a “hard freeze” on benefits earned by members in the closed defined benefit (DB) plan.

Currently, members with an earned interest in the DB plan continue to accrue benefits because their benefit at retirement will take into account their salary increases at time of retirement. This factor can significantly benefit the retiring member but also has an impact on increasing the time it will take Continued next page

National News www.canadianlutheran.ca

LCC National Youth Gathering Registration Is Open CANADA - Registration for the 2019 Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) National Youth Gathering is now open. The Gathering is an event sponsored by Lutheran Church–Canada every three years that is focused on building up and encouraging Lutheran young people and youth leaders in our church. The event will be held at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia between

July 5-9, 2019.

T h e t h e m e f o r t h i s ye a r ’ s Gathering is “WORTHLESS – There Is Nothing You Are Worth Less Than!”

The Registration Cost for the Gathering for both youth and youth leaders is $495 for the week which covers the cost of all meals, accommodations, special event excursions, and the program. Youth aged 13-18 and youth leaders aged

2+ are welcome to attend the Gathering.

Visit the Gathering’s website a t h t t p : / / ny g 1 9 . c a / f o r m o re information.

WBS-LCC Strategic Planning cont.

Continued from previous page to eliminate the solvency deficit.

Upon consideration the group recommended that the hard salary freeze not be implemented, believing that the impact on church workers’ retirement benefit would be too severe and the impact on the time for eliminating the solvency deficit minimal. WBS has decided to take

no action at this time but to monitor this factor.

Overall, participants evaluated the session as highly effective and worthwhile. At the end, Arnold Drung, chair of LCC’s Board of Directors, thanked the participants for giving their time and talents. The meeting was closed with a prayer of thanksgiving and a request for God’s continued guidance on the work of

WBS as they support church workers in their various ministries.

Reg Tiegs, a participant and current chair of the board of elders at Grace Church in Oshawa, remarked, “This session has been very helpful to me, hearing how the board has been managing the affairs of the Worker Benefits. I am very impressed with the decisions they have made and their progress to date. Glad I attended!”

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National News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Reading the Word of God in 2019 ONLINE - In 2017, Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) joined The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) and the North American Lutheran Church (NALC) in releasing a three-year Scripture reading plan, which began in 2018.

With the beginning of a new year, participants are now preparing to enter their second year of readings.

“In order to encourage the people of our church bodies in the daily reading of Holy Scripture, we

have compiled a three-year plan of daily Bible readings and a yearlong series of weekly readings on Martin Luther’s approach to the Scriptures,” noted an introduction to the three-year reading plan when it was first released. “The suggested readings are offered for one reason only—to enhance devotional life as an individual or a family daily examines, and is examined by, the Word of God, and then responds in prayer to the heavenly Father.”

Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n o n the dialogue between LCC, the LCMS, and NALC which resulted in the three-year plan, or to download readings, visit www.canadianlutheran.ca/dailyreading/.

In addition to the 2019 readings, you can also download the 2020 readings at the same site.

Lutherans mark Sanctity of Life Sunday CANADA - On January 20, 2019 Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) congregations across the country marked Sanctity of Life Sunday, n a m i n g i s s u e s l i ke a b o r t i o n , physician assisted suicide, and euthanasia in prayer during public worship.

The subject is again under debate in Canada, as assisted suicide proponents push to have legislation expanded to allow those without terminal illnesses (such as those suffering from mental illness) to seek physician assisted suicide.

Congregations were invited to use the following prayer, which LCC first released for use in 2013:

“We thank you for having made each human being in Your image. You love all people, and because You love all people, we know that each life is precious in Your sight. Rise and defend the lives of the vulnerable: the unborn, the elderly, the sick. Turn the hearts of those who would practice abortion and euthanasia. Comfort those who have lost loved ones to such sins, and forgive those who have committed them. You tell your people in Scripture: “Open your mouth for the speechless, in the cause of all who are appointed to die” (Proverbs 31:8 NKJV). Help us, O Lord, to be a voice for the voiceless and to defend the sanctity of life in our land. Amen.”

LCC congregations seeking additional resources on life issues may wish to explore materials available on the website of Lutherans for Life-Canada and its American counterpart Lutherans for Life.

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New InfoDigest CANADA - Starting January 1, 2019, as part of the renewal efforts by Lutheran Church–Canada, District newsletters ceased publication and content from those newsletters were amalgamated into a single newsletter published by LCC: InfoDigest.

As a result, InfoDigest has increased its frequency of publication from bi-monthly to weekly. The new InfoDigest includes sections devoted to news from LCC as well as its three regions, in addition to events, announcements, and other information.

As noted in emails in the lead-up to the new year, subscription to the new InfoDigest is an opt-in process (subscribers to the old mailing lists were not automatically moved over to the new newsletter). If you have not received the InfoDigest in 2019 so far, then you may have not yet subscribed. To do so, visit: http://eepurl.com/dEQESP.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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West Region News

Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor

Showers of blessings

Some of the adult instruction class members.

RICHMOND, B.C. - This summer was an especially dry one all over the province of British Columbia.

Months passed without rain on the coast—a very rare occurrence.

However, on Sunday, August 26, Trinity Lutheran Church received both physical and spiritual rainshowers of blessings.

A s t h e r a i n f e l l o u t s i d e, an outpouring of the Spirit was experienced inside as the congregation welcomed 16 new members (six by adult baptism and ten by adult confirmation). The welcome into membership followed a 13-week summer adult instruction class.

Recently, unchurched people from the community are entering

the church through various entry points.

Many connect initially through the free English as a Second Language class held on Sunday mornings. Members of Trinity lead this c l a s s a n d s e r ve a s c o n ve r s a t i o n partners. The Bible is the class textbook and key Bible stories comprise the lessons.

Newcomers are also introduced to the church through the growing childcare/preschool Trinity Little Children’s Centre. In this Monday to Friday ministry, three- to fiveyear-olds and their families learn the love of Jesus while the children are prepared for kindergarten. TLCC is led by paid staff as well as church volunteers. A building renovation was just completed to accommodate the growing childcare program which continues to have a waiting list in the community.

Another entry point for new people is the weekly (Thursday) “Moms and Tots” drop in. This is a

two-hour once-per-week program for children one to three years old as well as their parents/grandparents. Here participants hear Bible stories, sing, make crafts, play, and enjoy snacks.

Members of Trinity provide this weekly service to the community.

Through these three points of entry and by the friendships that develop, people are encouraged to attend the pastor’s adult instruction class. This class has been constructed over the years as a bi-lingual (English/ Chinese) presentation of Luther’s Catechism including numerous supporting Bible passages and discussion questions and homework.

Time and time again as this class is offered, the Holy Spirit creates saving faith in people’s hearts. Baptisms and Confirmation result. Trinity’s Senior Pastor, Rev. Steven Harold, shares that this class brings him great joy and reminds him why he became a pastor. A number of long-time Trinity members also attend this class to befriend and mentor their new brothers and sisters in Christ.

God is faithful creating and sustaining faith by the power of His Word. The congregation thanks Him for His showers of blessings.

60th anniversary of ordination celebrated CALGARY - Rev. Donald Seminary in Springfield, Ervin Unterschultz was Illinois. born in Grande Prairie, In 1956-7, he served Alberta, and was baptized his vicarage at Redeemer at St. John Lutheran Lutheran Church in Church in Wembley, 23 Edmonton. During this km west of Grande Prairie. time, he also travelled, At age 11, his family s e r v i n g We m b l e y , moved to Calgary, where G o o d f a r e, D a w s o n he attended Stanley Jones Creek, Hinton, Edson, Rev. Don Unterschultz School. He was confirmed and Jasper. Vicar Don led at Jehovah Lutheran Church (now St. services at the various churches in Matthew Lutheran) in Calgary. both English and German. Following Don entered Concordia College his vicarage year, he returned to the Edmonton for both high school and seminary and graduated in 1958. college, graduating in 1954. Following Rev. Unterschultz’s first Divine college, he continued his theological Call was to establish a new mission education at Concordia Theological congregation in north Edmonton—

Gethsemane Lutheran Church, located at 130 Avenue and 113A Street. It was during this time that he met and married Doreen.

Rev. Unterschultz led the mission congregation in building the first unit of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in 1961.

After receiving many calls, Rev. Unterschultz accepted the call to Grace Lutheran Church, Calgary and was installed on December 12, 1965.

In 1969, the Pipe Organ C o m m i t t e e, a l o n g w i t h Rev. Unterschultz, located the “new to Grace” pipe organ in Hillsboro, North Dakota. In the summer of continued on page 24

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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West Region News

Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor

From the Regional Pastor

T

rees endure for generations.

They present a powerful contrast with human mortality.

“There is hope for a tree,” says

the book of Job. “If it is cut down it will sprout again; Its tender shoots will not cease.

If its roots are old in the earth, And its stump dies in the ground, At the scent of water it will bud And produce branches like a sapling.

But man dies and is laid low; He breathes his last; where is he?” - Job14:7-10 It’s the finality of death that is hardest when someone we love is gone, when the things which we have cherished come to an end. We keep bumping up against the permanence of their absence again and again, hurting ourselves each time. Are they lost to us forever?

Friends the days of our Alberta, British Columbia District have come to an end. There is but a shell that remains. Some familiar faces and places are gone. A few of our congregations may close the doors of their sanctuaries, some may disband. There is a sense of loss, of grief over such things taking place among us and there is a period of mourning which we acknowledge is taking place.

In midst of endings and changes and the unknown future, I am reminded of an article written by celebrated author Walter Wangerin Jr., which directs our attention to the trees that are mentioned in the scriptures. The following is a recollection of that article.

In the beginning there stood two trees in Eden’s garden - the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Of the latter tree holy scripture tells us that Satan tempted our first parents and they did eat of that tree and so the curse entered the world. Now for the first time God and humanity were separated, their perfect relationship of love destroyed.

By hewn, hauled and hammered Gopher trees Noah built the ark. God sealed Noah and his family and delivered them from evil. It was the sign of the olive tree that alerted Noah and his family that the day of their joyful deliverance was at hand.

Consider Abraham and his son Isaac who carried the wood for the sacrifice that God had demanded of Abraham, the sacrifice of his only son laid upon that wood. And it was God who provided a ram caught in woody thickets as the substitute sacrifice.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

By means of a tree, a bright glowing bush, God alerted Moses to what he was about to do. By means of a tree fashioned into a shepherd’s staff God convinced Moses to lead his people to freedom. By means of that staff, the people pass through the depths of the sea on dry ground, drank water when thirsty in the wilderness.

Finally, a tree that divides all history was raised. On that tree fashioned into the shape of a cross, the tree of the One man’s scorn and shame, hewn, hauled and hammered was hung the deliverance of all the world.

And that man, the God-Man whom the scriptures call, “the second Adam,” cried out to God His Father in a loud voice of triumph, “It is finished, Father into your hands I commit my spirit.”

But hang on! There is one more tree that we need to think about. There is a tree of life mentioned in Revelation with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed.

This tree has always been there. It is the longforgotten tree of Eden, the tree of life. Now this tree points to the creator and sustainer of all things who abundantly provides for all peoples and nations. Gone is the curse and with it all cursing. What joy is to be had as the Lord gathers up His Church to life in the presence of this tree, the tree of our healing.

In fulfillment of His promise He has provided deliverance for us in the coming of the Root of Jesse and He continues to fulfill His promise. In our day the Lord is about the work of healing His people, His Church in the gracious provisions of His Word and His Holy Sacraments. We would do well to regularly receive these gracious provisions.

Our lives are intricately bound up in the Root of Jesse, whose name is Jesus. Grafted into Jesus our hope is day by day renewed and our courage restored. Job asked where is he that is laid low? We can give bold testimony proclaiming, his life is now hidden in Christ Jesus.

In Christ, where we would see endings and loss, the Lord points us to fulfillment, as the saints on earth are transferred from the Church of Grace to the Church of Glory and His Church Triumphant continues to grow.

Where we see closures and endings the Lord is providing a new beginning, a new sprout, new possibilities. Where we see setback, the Lord is moving us ever forward fulfilling the work of His Church on earth.

Rooted firmly in Christ my earnest prayer for continued on page 24

West Region News

Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor

A brave journey: from the Sudan to Canada the project continues to CALGARY - With hearts swim against pockets of full of gratitude and faith the skepticism—even anger— Calgary Circuit of Lutheran toward refugees sponsored Church-Canada reports that for resettlement in Canada. the sponsored refugee family We need to embrace the from the Sudan is making teaching of Jesus in Matthew good progress adjusting to 25:35: ‘For I was hungry their new home in Canada. and you gave Me something Eighteen weeks in Calgary— to eat, I was thirsty and since their arrival May 31— you gave Me drink, I was a has seen the Ibrahims settle The family arrives in Calgary. (l-r) Cathy Weger (Project stranger and you welcomed into a busy and focused Committee), Rabie Ibrahim, Faiza Ibrahim, Theo & Sabine Me.’ The Old Testament is routine. Both parents, Dillenberg (Project Committee), Awadia Ibrahim, Esam Ibrahim, rife with examples of forced Rabie and Faiza, and the Nigel Gadar (Interpreter), and Beth Johnson (Project Committee). and voluntary resettlements. children, Esam and Awadia, Recall that Mary and Joseph attend English as a Second too were refugees as they fled Language classes daily. the brutality of King Herod Their English is improving (Matthew 2:13-14). And, gradually—practically Peter reminds us of a world speaking, they have mastered full of refugees and exiles in the “double-double” at Tim need of help (1 Peter 2:11). In Horton’s. Public transit His service, we thank you for is no longer a daunting your generosity in helping to prospect and they are able to spread the love of God to our complete grocery shopping neighbours.” c o n f i d e n t l y, i n c l u d i n g Theo Dillenberg an occasional mission to September potluck fellowship. (l-r) Awadia Ibrahim holding Braelynn Perrin, Esam Ibrahim, Faiza Ibrahim, and Jan Geggie Costco. The father, Rabie, (Chair, Project Committee) does a great job looking after finances and banking—to New regional office Lutheran Church on September be sure, the family continues to be 16. At the event, members were amazed at the expensive cost of living introduced to the family and learned in Calgary. of some of their hopes and aspirations.

Circuit committee members Rabie would like to work one day in have been focused on providing the oil and gas sector; both Faiza a s s i s t a n c e i n n av i g a t i n g t h e and Awadia dream of qualifying in bureaucracy of Service Canada. patient care and working in health They have attended many medical services; Esam remains passionate and dental appointments with about soccer and would like to study the family, having secured Arabic business administration. The early speaking practitioners. The staff at taste of winter in Calgary certainly the Calgary Centre for Newcomers This beautiful wall mural will greet visitors to was an eye-opener for the family. have been extremely helpful in the Western Regional Office.

The Project Committee extends a providing comprehensive support standing appeal for donations of gift services. Esam and Awadia enjoy CALGARY - The new Western cards from Superstore, Walmart, or making use of the great facilities at Regional Office will be located Mark’s Work Wearhouse. Monetary the Village Square Leisure Centre at Lutheran Church of the Good donations are also welcome—please in northeast Calgary. The journey Shepherd, Calgary, Alberta. indicate Refugee Sponsorship on the has been akin to “drinking from a

13811 Deer Ridge Drive envelope c/o St. Matthew Lutheran fire hydrant” in terms of learning

Calgary AB T2J 6S7 Church, Calgary. the range of Canadian norms and

Phone: 1-403-650-7766 “This refugee family is genuinely practices.

Lutheran Church–Canada is grateful for their chance at a new life A wonderful potluck fellowship grateful to Rev. David Dressler and in Calgary,” notes Theo Dillen of the attended by some fifty circuit the congregation for making space Project Committee. “Unfortunately, congregants was held at Foothills available for this office.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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West Region News

Alberta and British Columbia Laura Goerz, editor

Underschultz celebration, continued

1969, Rev. Unterschultz, Doug McLachlan, and Dennis Schneider travelled to Hillsboro to dismantle and haul the organ home. It was rebuilt and installed in the balcony and dedicated on October 19, 1969.

The lights currently hanging in Grace’s sanctuary were designed and built by Rev. Unterschultz in 1972 and installed in the current building in 1982.

During his ministry, he served on several committees and boards in Edmonton, Calgary, and for the Synod, including Circuit Counsellor for Calgary.

Rev. Unterschultz served Grace Lutheran Church congregation until his retirement on August 26, 1995.

Editor’s Note: Rev. Unterschultz was called home to be with our Lord November 6, 2018. He leaves to mourn his wife of 58 years Doreen, three children: Brian (Heather), Donna, Eleanor (Ken) Benterud; and four grandchildren: Hannah and Emily Unterschultz, Alexander and Nathan Benterud.

Regional Pastor, continued

you and for me as we journey together today and, in the days, ahead is the prayer for the Lord’s church on pilgrimage, “Lord God, You have called Your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that Your hand is leading us and Your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

In Christ, Rev. Robert Mohns

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Parenting seminar provides community outreach

Rev. Dr. Steven Harold (left), and Rev. Wayne Zhang welcoming the participants of the seminar.

RICHMOND, B.C. - Raising children is never easy. Raising children in a culture you’re unfamiliar with is even more challenging.

The demographics of Richmond are changing rapidly. According to the 2016 census, people of Chinese ethnicity account for 52.5 percent of the city’s population—and the number keeps rising. Trinity Lutheran Church is always looking for different ways to reach out to these newcomers and support them.

Parenting is a huge topic in Chinese culture. Trinity Lutheran Church worked together with a community health organization to put together a parenting seminar entitled “Building Self-confidence in Your Child.” Eager early childhood educators and parents packed the sanctuary to learn more about this important issue, delivered in the Mandarin language.

Revs. Steven Harold and Wayne Zhang welcomed the audience and kicked off the seminar by quoting and explaining Proverbs 22:6: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it” and also Luke 18:1: “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me…for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’”

The speaker, Dr. Jack Young, a Christian clinical psychologist specializing in child psychology, reiterated the pastors’ remarks in his presentation. “The issues of building

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

resilience and confidence in children have to start early. This is where parents and early childhood caregivers have such an important role. The core tasks for the first two years of a child’s life will be to build the child’s sense of trust. This is achieved by the mother or caregivers being there consistently, listening to their cries and understanding their needs. Without this, a child can develop a deep sense of distrust leading often to a false sense of independence. The next two years are important in the development of a child’s sense of confidence. By allowing children to make choices, have a say in pretend play, or even to ‘boss’ parents around can foster this inner confidence. The positive experiences from these stages can also develop in a person a deep sense of security and belonging that is crucial for healthy emotional stability.”

Participants were grateful for the practical tips they learned.

They showed their appreciation to the church and immediately expressed their interest in future similar seminars.

Iris Lui

Send news, photos, articles and announcements to: Laura Goerz, Regional Editor, westeditor@lutheranchurch.ca

Central Region News

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor

Christmas activities across the region

FORT QU’APPELLE, Sask. - The youth at Our Saviour Lutheran Church took part in a gift exchange game and a devotion with Rev. Todd Guggenmos (standing).

WINNIPEG - Some 27 children took a journey through Bethlehem December 8 at Saint James Lutheran Church. The Christmas VBS involved many actors and other volunteers.

OXBOW, Sask. - Members of St. Peter and St. John Lutheran Parish were excited to provide a live nativity for the town’s Christmas in Oxbow event November 22. There were plenty of costumes for any children who wished to dress up like shepherds or angels. The group sang Christmas carols, served free hot chocolate, and collected food for the Oxbow Emergency Support Food Hampers.

OXBOW, Sask. - Children had fun learning the Christmas story at St. Peter and St. John Lutheran Parish Christmas VBS on December 7.

They played games, made a Christmas craft, sang Christmas carols, had a pancake supper and watched a Christmas movie.

WINNIPEG - Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd (right) held its first ever “Swap & Shop” on Saturday, December 8, inviting children ages 3 to 12 to the church for a few hours to hear the Christmas story, have some lunch, make a craft, play some games, and do their very own Christmas shopping. A bake sale was held the same day, so that when parents picked up their children, they could also grab some Christmas goodies!

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

25

Central Region News

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor

From the Regional Pastor

I

s all this worth it? A lot of energy, man-hours, passion, and sweat has been poured into this new Synod structure thing. And yet here we are a few months into not only the new structure but now the new “Regional Pastors”—and what has changed?

Really good question. I don’t know. It’s still very, very new as I write this. What has changed for me is I’ve converted my family room into an office (though boxes are still everywhere). I said good-bye to my congregation this last Sunday (January 20, Epiphany 2) with a final Divine Service, a great meal, many hugs, and a few tears (not too many though, we’re tough Saskatchewanites after all!). I work out of a home office now. I no longer have an altar to pray at, and so am looking for a prie-dieu (a prayer kneeler) for home. I now start my day, after putting my daughter on the bus, by walking to the closest Lutheran Church–Canada church to chant the psalms at their altar and pray for our region’s pastors and churches.

Officially my tenure as Central Regional Pastor started on January 1. But in reality, it didn’t start until the Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6) as I have traditionally taken vacation for most of the 12 days of Christmas. This year, the vacation was especially needed as between moving out of one office, setting up another, building a lot of IKEA shelves, and trying to do Advent and Christmas in the parish, as well as beginning to have a foretaste of the job to come, I ended up with pneumonia for the week before Christmas.

Now, for the last two weeks I have been overwhelmed at times by calls and emails, and generally trying to figure out all of the various tasks this position entails. And in the midst of this, I must greet you and write some words worthy of your time and attention! Which is to say, that daily time of prayer and saturation in the Word has been a great refuge and joy for me. I’ve struggled with regular disciplined devotions over the years. But I love to sing, and I never knew how much powerful teaching there is in the psalms. So chanting the psalms works well for me. The Lord continues to teach me. His wonders are new every morning!

For this first year though, I have a few simple aims. I hope to visit all the pastors in the region. I want to get to know them and their families, their backgrounds, and how they got to be where they

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

are. How can I be a “pastor to the pastors” if I don’t know my “flock”?

Of course, the pastors are only one part of my flock. But getting around to officially visit all the congregations is a little more difficult than visiting a pastor. In this first year I think it will take the shape more of visiting with circuits (in forums), with congregational chairmen, elders, and other lay folks who have crossed my path already as I assist congregations in the more difficult patches of life together as Christ’s Church on this side of heaven.

The nuts and bolts of this job are going to cause me to rub shoulders with quite a few of you.

I’ll be in Broadview, Churchbridge, and Langenburg (Saskatchewan) in the immediate future. Down the road I’m going to be in Thunder Bay and hoping to see all the pastors there. I’ll be at an LWMLC district convention in June, at the President’s Ministry Council and Synod Board of Directors’ meeting in April (in the Edmonton area), and a leadership workshop with President Gimbel of Concordia Lutheran Seminary in May. I hope to visit folks in Saskatoon on my way past. And in between I need to convene the Circuit Counsellors and the Regional Ministry and Mission Council for an initial face-to-face gathering. Though with winter travel conditions on the prairies I am planning for after Easter and hoping to do it at one of Region’s camps. Of course, all my plans may end up great flops or just not work with Synod’s schedule (Proverbs 16:9).

We are blessed in this Region to have three camps (Camp Lutherland near Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask.; Jackfish Lutheran Camp, near Roblin, Man.; and Aurora Lutheran Bible Camp near Thunder Bay, Ont.).

I hope to make more use of them, and would love to hear from any who might be interested in regional family camps. In particular, I’d like to get pastors and their families together, though it might be exciting to have family camps open for everyone to partake of.

Let me know your thoughts, your ideas, your struggles, or the things that your congregation needs held in prayer. You can reach me at dhaberstock@ lutheranchurch.ca or on the old 1-800-ONE-LORD (663-5673) number.

May the peace of Christ dwell in you richly through His Word of power, Rev. David Haberstock

Central Region News

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor

Mission exec has a busy day in Plumas

Christmas activities across the region, cont.

PLUMAS, Man. - On Sunday, January 13 at Zion Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church–Canada’s (LCC) International Missions Executive Rev. Mark L. Smith led Bible study, preached in the Divine Service, and gave a short presentation on LCC’s missions after a Baptismal Birthday Celebration.

SASKATOON - At their dress rehearsal the children at St. Paul’s paused for a photo. On Sunday, December 23, they and the youth did a masterful job telling the story of Jesus’ birth.

(l-r) Revs. James Vosper and Mark Smith

New addition construction underway

MIDDLE LAKE, Sask. - The supervisors were all watching as the rafters went up for the new multi-purpose room addition at Bethany Pioneer Village, January 23.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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Central Region News

Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NW Ontario Elaine Stanfel, editor

Central District LWMLC convention set for June

Keep in touch!

YORKTON, Sask. – The convention of the Central District of Lutheran Women’s Missionary League–Canada (LWMLC) will take place June 7-9, 2019 in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. The logo theme is “Sing to the Lord of Harvest,” drawing on Matthew 9:3738—“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.”

Friday’s speakers include Rev. Lucas Albrecht (Mount Olive Lutheran in Regina) and Rev. Will Rose (Christ Lutheran in Neepawa/ Redeemer, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba).

On Saturday, convention-goers will have the chance to listen to Dr. Leah Koetting Block speak on the Christian response to physician assisted suicide. “There have been significant changes to ‘right to life’ legislation in Canada over the past few years, culminating in the legalization of ‘medical assistance in dying,’” a notice of the convention reads. “Dr. Koetting Block will attempt to unpack this confusing terminology, provide an overview of what has changed, and describe the current national end-of-life landscape within a Christian context.

What does Scripture have to say on these issues? And what steps can you take to protect yourself and your loved ones?”

Additional interest sessions on Saturday will include discussions of Christian art, mission in the LWMLC Central District, and the task of preparing labourers for the harvest.

Offerings during the event will be taken in support of national LWMLC mission mites; Lutheran Church– Canada’s Pastors with Alternate Training Program through Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary in St. Catharines, Ontario; and deaconess education through Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Edmonton.

Proceeds from the Mission Walk will benefit Camp Aurora (Thunder Bay, Ontario), Jackfish Lutheran

With the recent changes to Lutheran Church—Canada’s structure, there are a few changes in contact information:

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Regional Pastor Rev. David Haberstock dhaberstock@lutheranchurch.ca

Logo design by Kelly Klages.

Bible Camp (Roblin, Manitoba), and Camp Lutherland (Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan).

For information on the LWMLC Central District convention, visit lutheranwomen.ca/districts/centraldistrict/2019-convention.

Convention proceedings now available

The 2018 LCC Central District Convention Proceedings have now been completed and delivered to all the delegates who represented their parishes. The Proceedings include the minutes of the Convention, election results and the resolutions considered. Also included is information provided

by Rev. Dr. Norman Threinen re l a t e d t o h i s p re s e n t a t i o n s , and the daily newsletters.

An electronic copy of the Proceedings can be found at lcccentral.ca.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

InfoDigest Christopher Pelletier communications@lutheranchurch.ca Central Editor, Canadian Lutheran Elaine Stanfel centraleditor@lutheranchurch.ca

How sweet are your words to my taste,sweeter than honey to my mouth!” - Psalm 119:103 Name change for the Central District CEF As of January 1, the Central District CEF has changed its name from “Lutheran ChurchCanada, Central District Church Extension Fund” to “LCC Central Extension Fund Services Inc.” For more information about LCC Central Extension Fund Services Inc., please visit http://lcccef.ca

Send news, photos, articles and announcements to: Elaine Stanfel, district editor, 509 Airport Road, Pembroke, ON K8A6W7 613-687-6620 centraleditor@lutheranchurch.ca

East Region News

Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor

Celebrating 160 years of good news WARTBURG, Ont. iterations of the church - The banner placed building brought feelings on the east side of 2nd of nostalgia to some of St. John’s Lutheran the congregation’s senior Church proclaims our members. The LWMLC message for 2018: 160 members presented an years of Good News. original skit sharing its And what a year it has history, first performed been. All groups within at a zone rally in 2009. t h e c h u rc h f a m i l y Ladies wore hats and have sponsored events gloves. throughout the year.

I n S e p t e m b e r, a In the spring the s p e c i a l a n n i ve r s a r y youth hosted a 50s service led by Rev. Will Diners night where Kramer brought many young women in back to St. John’s. The th ponytails and bobby confirmation class of Proceeds from the 160 Anniversary Tea & Auction were presented by the s o c k s a n d y o u n g LWMLC to the Stratford General Hospital Foundation for their baby monitor 1958 was introduced and men in white shirts appeal. Pictured (l-r) are LWMLC co-chair Johanne Groenestege; SGHF board special music filled the member Howard Famme; Pastor William Kramer; LWMLC co-chair Doreen prepared burgers, chips Alexander; and Marjorie Brickman, LWMLC member and organizer of the sanctuary. The service a n d b a n a n a s p l i t s . Tea & Auction. was followed by a pork Male guests got into chop dinner in the an Anniversary Omelet Breakfast, the spirit by sporting hair doused basement and old friendships were enjoyed by all. with liberal amounts of Brylcream rekindled.

Throughout the summer services, while ladies wore box-pleated skirts The final anniversary celebration historical vignettes were shared and pearls. was held on November 3, 2018. by the Sunday school, youth, and On Reformation Sunday in LWMLC members hosted an English church board. Displays of various October, the Sunday school served Tea and Auction, raising $2,660 for the Stratford General Hospital Foundation Baby Monitor Appeal.

Despite many times of sadness Knitting and crocheting for the community as the congregation has said farewell to our friends to dear friends, they still know their at LAMP to church has been truly blessed. Many be distributed of the old German names displayed in to northern the church cemetery are still carried communities by today’s members.

Members with for the cold new names have joined and enriched floors at schools the congregation with their talent and outdoor and their faith.

The congregation ventures. The has been honoured to have Rev. Will baby blankets and his family with them and leading go to JFJ Hope them for twenty-seven-plus years.

Centre (Jewels Some of the baby blankets, sweaters, slippers, hats and scarves happily After 160 years of sharing the knitted and crocheted for many communities. for Jesus) in Good News, 2nd St. John’s remains, Mississauga, an adoption centre for MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - There with its lofty steeple, its sonorous babies of young mothers. have been many ready and happy bell, the life and testimony of its Approximately 4,000 hours of hands knitting and crocheting over church family and above all, its work went into these items, 1,500 the past year for Christ Our King Christ-centred message: “By Grace alone for the slippers. What could Lutheran Church. In November, the you are saved, through faith, and you do in 4,000 hours? Along with congregation dedicated 45 pairs of this is not of yourselves. It is a gift the joy of fellowship the group slippers, 30 sets of hats and scarves, of God, not by works, so that no one thanks God for His blessings! and 25 baby blankets (some with can boast.”

Elina Isic sweaters and caps).

2nd St. John’s Lutheran Church, The slippers and hats/scarves go Wartburg THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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East Region News

Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor

Congregation celebrates its 140th anniversary MULGRAVE AND DERRY, Que. - St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church at Mulgrave and Derry, Inlet Rd., Quebec (a member of the Quebec tri-parish), celebrated its 140th anniversary on October 21, 2018 with current pastor, Rev. Richard Lockstadt. Guest preacher was Rev. Dan Moeller (Grandview/Inglis, Manitoba) who served St. Matthew and the Tri-Parish of Western Quebec as its third tri-parish pastor from 1983 to 2001. He delivered a wonderful message of past, present, and future, “Going up to Inlet,” emphasizing the need of meeting together in

communion and fellowship. Invited guests and visitors conveyed how enjoyable the service was.

Following the service, a potblessing fellowship was held in the parsonage where everyone felt at home. Standing room caused an overflow out into the church as many enjoyed the fine food prepared by many blessed hands. All went home edified spiritually and physically.

Many enjoyed being with their previous pastor who proclaimed himself to be “cute.”

St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Church

(l-r) Revs. Richard Lockstadt and Dan Moeller

From the Regional Pastor Amid time of change rely on Jesus being there among us Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the Lord be with you.

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32) n late 2018 we began a new Church Year with the First Sunday in Advent. Since that time we have heard in the Sunday lessons the many changes for Zechariah and Elizabeth, for Mary and Joseph, and changes for the world through the Christ Child.

We are now in the Epiphany season, when we hear of the changes Jesus brought into the lives of those He walked among. We must never forget that He is among us also. Every Lord’s Day when His people gather to confess their sins, Jesus is there with the sweet balm of forgiveness. Every Lord’s Day when His people gather and hear His Holy Word, the Word Incarnate is there. Every Lord’s Day when His people gather to receive His Body and Blood, the Lamb of God is there.

It is important for us to remember and rely on Jesus being there among us, for us. Years ago a member said to me that she needs to be in church every Sunday to be strengthened for the week ahead. Indeed, we come before the Lord in worship weighed down with sin and failures from the previous week and He forgives. We come before Him with fears of what lies in the week ahead and He strengthens us with Word and Supper.

Every Lord’s Day, we receive in Word, Absolution, and Sacrament the blessings He was born, lived, died and rose again to give us.

I

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

As we start this new calendar year of 2019, many are fearful of the changes we face. In the world there is unrest. It is not much better in the church. We are starting 2019 with a new synodical structure.

Some are thinking this will save the Synod. Others fear it will ruin the Synod. Both are wrong. It is only structure. It is not Word and Sacraments. The structure is there to facilitate our work together as we receive the Lord’s blessings in Word and Sacraments. When a structure no longer does that, we change it. Word and Sacrament do not change.

People ask me, “What is the best thing we can do to make this new structure work?” The answer is simply: Go to worship every Lord’s Day to receive His forgiveness, hear His Word and take His very body and blood into your own. Kneel at His feet. Learn from Him. Receive His forgiveness. Feast at His table. Then go about your daily week as a forgiven, blood-bought child of God. Go back to work or school or family with joy in the knowledge that no matter what changes may come upon you in this life, the Lord Jesus Christ does not change. His love for you does not change.

His desire for you to be in His Father’s mansion does not change. Share that joy and knowledge with those who do not have it. Tell everyone what He has done and what He does every Lord’s Day for you.

Rev. Marvin Bublitz

East Region News

Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor

New executive director for LBTC KITCHENER, Ont. - The Board of Directors for Lutheran Bible T ra n s l a t o r s – C a n a d a ( L B T C ) gathered on November 17, 2018, at Historic St. Paul’s Lutheran Church to install their new executive director, Rev. Ron Mohr, who previously served as the Mission Executive/ Encourager for Lutheran Church– Canada’s (LCC) East District.

Rev. Dr. James Keller, previous executive director of LBTC since 2012, passed the torch to Rev. Mohr after accepting a call to Historic St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in June 2018. Rev. Paul Zabel, LCC East District President, led the Rite of Installation and served as preacher for the service. Rev. Timothy Schneider (Rev. Mohr’s son-in-law) served as liturgist. The service was rich with music as Rev. Mohr and his wife, Karen, shared two duets and their daughter, Kristin Schneider, served as organist.

A highlight of the day was reading the Scriptures via video. The lectors were Rev. Mike Kuhn (LBTC Missionary/Translator in Galim, Cameroon), Rev. Touka Daniel (Director of Translation and Literacy, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cameroon), and Rev. David Federwitz (LBTC Regional Supervisor).

LBTC and participating pastors at the installation service

S eve ra l p e o p l e brought greetings including Martin a n d J o a n We b e r (LBTC Missionaries/ Translators in Ngaoundere, Cameroon, via video), Tim Kuhl (LBTC Board Chair), and Mike Rodewald (Executive Director, LBT US).

LBTC chairman of the board welcomed their new executive director

The East Region structure – who and where Lots of changes are becoming known across the Regions of Lutheran Church–Canada. Many questions abound but we’re here to help answer what we can or steer you in the right direction.

Let’s start with names and contact information.

Regional Pastor (RP) Rev. Marvin Bublitz 1-800-893-1466 mbublitz@lutheranchurch.ca Pastor Bublitz is working out of his home office in St. Thomas.

RP Admin Support Ilene Fortin

519-578-6500 ext 3 ifortin@lutheranchurch.ca Working out of the Kitchener office on Lawrence Ave. LCC Admin Pool Iris Barta 1-800-588-4226 admin@lutheranchurch.ca Working out of Winnipeg office on Portage Ave. InfoDigest Christopher Pelletier 1-800-588-4226 communications@lutheranchurch.ca Send all your enews notices and announcements to Chris.

East Editor, Canadian Lutheran Ilene Fortin easteditor@lutheranchurch.ca Please continue to send your Canadian Lutheran stories and photos here.

Please also note that Ilene is working half-time for LCC and half-time for the East District Corporation so you can still reach her there as well.

We encourage you to contact any of us if you have questions or concerns. We remain a family— just a much larger one.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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East Region News

Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Ilene Fortin, editor

Assistant pastor installed at First, Windsor WINDSOR, Ont. - The Rev. Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson was installed in a festive service on the Third Sunday in Advent, December 16, 2018, to serve as an assistant pastor at First Lutheran Church in Windsor.

Born in Germany, Dr. Torgerson grew up in Edmonton, attending Concordia College there, as well as the Lutheran Theological Seminary i n O b e r u r s e l , G e r m a ny, a n d finally graduating from Concordia Theological Seminary, then at Springfield, Illinois. His first parish was St. Paul, Medicine Hat, Alberta, where he served for four years before accepting an assignment to Lutheran Church–Canada’s partner church, the Independent Evangelical Lutheran Church of Germany. Remaining in Germany for some 37 years, Dr. Torgerson served congregations in Bremen, Hamburg, and the former East Berlin before moving to Luther’s Wittenberg as the founding director of the International Lutheran Visitors’ Center.

Returning to Canada in 2011, he served as an adjunct professor at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) in St. Catharines, Ontario. In recent years he also accepted a part-time appointment from the Edmonton Seminary to be Rector (President) of LCC’s affiliated mission seminary in Odessa, Ukraine.

His alma mater, Concordia Theological Seminary (now of Fort Wayne, Indiana) awarded him an honourary Doctor of Divinity degree in 2008.

At First Lutheran Church, Dr. Torgerson will work part-time in retirement as assistant to Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee. “We will keep him very busy,” Dr. Bugbee noted, “since our congregation still offers Sunday services in both German and English, and we also provide pastoral service to the pupils and teachers of First Lutheran Christian Academy, which is affiliated with our church.”

East District President Rev. Paul Zabel officiated at the Rite of Installation, assisted by numerous

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(back, l-r) Revs. Dr. Roger Winger (Emeritus), Robert Krestick (Emeritus), Paul Pollex (Emeritus); (middle) Revs. Robert Bryans (Vacancy Pastor – Emmanuel, Beamsville), Kirk Radford (Christ, Sarnia), Dr. Thomas Winger (President CLTS, St. Catharines); (front) Revs. Jason Kouri (Redeemer, Sarnia), Dr. Robert Bugbee (First, Windsor), Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson, Rev. Paul Zabel (President, LCC East District), Seminarian Matthew Fenn (CLTS, St. Catharines)

pastors from the area. CLTS President Dr. Thomas Winger served as preacher, while Windsor Circuit counselor Rev. Kirk Radford was a lector. Seminarian Matthew Fenn, a “son” of First Lutheran Church and fourth-year student at CLTS, was the crucifer. Both the German and English choirs of First, Windsor, provided special music under the direction of Deacon Suzanne Eberhard and Sarah Bestvater.

With the arrival of this new assistant capable of working in both languages, Dr. Bugbee has expressed the hope that his own ministry can be expanded and deepened in working with the school and with the many gifted young adults at First Lutheran Church.

Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee

Send news, photos, articles and announcements to: Ilene Fortin, regional editor easteditor@lutheranchurch.ca

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

What’s happening at LCC, East District Corporation?

The Corporation is still hard at work, continuing to manage the Church Extension Fund (CEF) and district properties under the direction of a new nine-member board of directors.

In the office: Darryll Holland 519-578-6500 ext 4 1-800-465-8179 dholland@lcceast.ca Marjorie Wild 519-578-6500 ext 5 1-800-465-8179 mwilde@lcceast.ca Ilene Fortin (1/2 time) 519-578-6500 ext 3 1-800-465-8179 ilene@lcceast.ca We encourage you to contact us if you have questions or concerns.

Mission News www.canadianlutheran.ca

Theological training for Haiti’s Lutherans HAITI - The Haiti Lutheran Mission Society (HLMS), a listed service organization of Lutheran Church–Canada, has been supporting work among the Lutheran churches of Haiti for many years.

Much attention has been given to humanitarian aid, chiefly by sending shipping containers full of clothing, building supplies, tools, shoes, and other needed items.

Even the odd bulldozer and a lot of sewing machines have been included too. Support has also been provided for the congregations of the Lutheran Church of Haiti (LCH) in the north of the country.

Of late, however, it has been increasingly difficult to maintain contact with LCH churches. In light of that, HLMS has directed its endeavours towards the south of Haiti, where congregations belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Haiti (ELCH).

The board of HLMS has also become acutely aware of the need for theological education in Haiti.

In response to this need, I had the privilege of being in Port au Prince from October 22-27, 2018 to teach a foundational class on Luther’s Small Catechism.

The students were primarily lay leaders from congregations across southern Haiti, with half of the thirty students having made the arduous twelve-hour trip on an old school bus, coming from the city of Jeremie on the far west tip of the southern peninsula. (The society covered the cost of their travel, as well as the cost of accommodation

LCC’s Mission Work Support LCC’s missions through online giving, or by mail.

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LCC_MISSIONS

Map Credit: OCHA.

at a guest house in Port-au-Prince for the week.) A few of the students are already ordained pastors of the ELCH, and one Baptist pastor also joined the class. The students are poor and work wherever they can to support their families. Because they were also away from their work for a week, the Society also provided $70 per student to help support their families in their absence.

Over four days, with the help of very able translation work of Rev. Blaise Marin, a Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod pastor from California who is originally from Haiti (and whose father, a Haitian Lutheran pastor, attended the class), we worked through the six chief parts of the catechism.

Even though it was hot under the tin roof, we managed to have some thorough discussions of many issues that arise from the catechism. Beginning and ending the day with wonderful acapella singing was a joy.

Some of the leaders were already familiar a little with Luther’s catechism and the biblical teaching therein; for others this was their first introduction to the catechism and its biblical teaching. Plenty of small debates took place as they struggled to learn the truth of God’s Word, and as some of their preconceived misunderstandings of the Scripture were challenged. The Haitian leaders have a good working knowledge of the Bible, but since they are surrounded by both Roman Catholic and Evangelicals, they are in need of clear biblical teaching. The Society hopes, with the help of faithful Canadian Lutherans, to provide more teaching in the days ahead.

Please consider supporting the Haiti Lutheran Mission Society as it seeks to assist our Haitian sisters and brothers.

Rev. Warren Hamp is pastor of Faith Lutheran Church in Kitchener, Ontario.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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Education News www.canadianlutheran.ca

CLTS bids farewell to Dr. Torgerson ST. CATHARINES, Ontario With gratitude spiced with a dash of wistfulness, Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (CLTS) has said thank-you and goodbye to Rev. Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson—affectionately known to many as “Torgy.”

A well-known figure in Lutheran Church–Canada and The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, as well as in various European Lutheran churches, Dr. Torgerson retired from 36 years of parish ministry in Germany in 2007, only to take responsibility for the “Wittenberg Project,” restoring Wittenberg’s Old Latin School to a centre for visitors in the cradle of Lutheranism. Retiring from that task in 2011, he was invited to teach pastoral theology at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary.

What started as a one-year visit turned into seven years of committed service. Besides his tasks as a teacher of pastoral theology, Dr. Torgerson has also been the Fieldwork and Vicarage supervisor, and the Placement Officer.

The students, faculty, and staff have been blessed by Dr Torgerson’s passion for theology and his pastoral

Rev. Dr. Wilhelm Torgerson (centre) poses with the other faculty of CLTS.

heart, not to mention his generosity and commitment to the service of the church.

Having received the call to serve First Lutheran Church in Windsor as an assistant pastor, Dr. Torgerson is retiring—again—from teaching, but not giving up his lifelong task of serving the people of God with the

CLS welcomes Visiting Professor

preaching of the Gospel and faithful administration of his sacraments.

Dr. Torgerson’s installation service at First Lutheran Church, Windsor was held on December 16, 2018 with Lutheran Church–Canada’s Past President, Rev. Dr. Robert Bugbee, presiding and CLTS President Dr. Thomas Winger preaching.

Dr. Gimbel celebrates five years at CLS E D M O N T O N - January 2019 saw Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton celebrate Rev. Dr. James Gimbel’s fifth anniversary as president of the seminary.

EDMONTON - Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) welcomed Rev. Dr. Scott Keith as a visiting professor for the 2019 Winter Short Term. He was inducted as a visiting professor on January 7 during CLS’ first chapel service of 2019. Dr. Keith is Adjunct Professor Theology at Concordia University in Irvine, California.

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THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

Lutheran Foundation Canada REFLECTING GOD’S GRACE

Plan. Make a difference… for your loved ones, and the ministries you value.

2019

“How can I leave a charitable gift to the ministries I value and still be a blessing to my family?”

Questions like this are very important. Lutheran Foundation Canada can help you with a gift plan that will benefit both.

Who are we?

Lutheran Foundation Canada assists Lutheran donors in identifying, establishing and carrying out their charitable wishes towards congregations, and the many mission and service organizations that support the ministry of Lutheran Church-Canada. This work is an important part of furthering God’s kingdom here on earth and focuses significantly on our role as Christian stewards in the management and use of all that God has given us.

What do we do?

Lutheran Foundation Canada connects Lutheran donors with the ministries of LCC they value. By encouraging planned giving, we help those who joyously want to share a portion of their blessings for the purposes of building God’s kingdom.

We take the responsibility of helping our Church very seriously, by serving LCC members and LCC organizations in the following three areas: Gift Planning - Helping members

understand and plan out their charitable gift options in life and through their estate.

Gift Administration - Managing and making annual distributions from donor-established endowments, and distributing funds from the sale of donated shares.

Congregation Services - Helping develop Gift Acceptance and Use Policies to help further a congregation’s mission and ministry.

is so important that it cannot be kept to ourselves. Through the work of our Church, we share this gospel message with others who so desperately need to hear it. Much of this work requires financial resources, and these resources are created through great stewardship. Probably the most significant opportunity for great stewardship happens when you die. It is at this point you will no longer require any of what God has blessed you with, and all of what you Why does it “... to do good, to be rich accumulated in life matter? must be transferred in good deeds, and to We give somewhere. Each because God be generous and willing person has three first gave to to share ... so that they choices when it comes us. Throughout to assets; use them, may take hold of life our Christian lose them, or share that is truly life.” upbringing, we them. The work of learn about and 1 Timothy 6:18-19 Lutheran Foundation embrace the many Canada is focused gifts our Father on developing plans to share these has given to us, including the most resources, thus creating scenarios important gift we can ever receive, that bless your family and bless the that of eternal life with our Saviour work of the Church.

Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection. This gospel message

Lutheran Foundation Canada www.lutheranfoundation.ca

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God’s generosity is reflected in His faithful stewards Lutheran Foundation Canada reports over $63 million in planned gifts Since its inception, Lutheran Foundation Canada has helped and served individuals and families structure gifts to support their favourite ministries in the best way possible. Over the past decade, Lutheran members have allocated over $63 million dollars in planned gifts to these ministries. Approximately one-third, or about $19 million is designated for congregations.

How donors have allocated their planned gifts

“You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.”

2 Corinthians 9:11

These gifts are a result of the joyful response to God’s love found in the hearts of our LCC community. These gifts include cash, stocks, RSPs/RIFs, life insurance, real estate and personal property given directly or through bequests in a will. Some of these gifts have already come in as God has called His stewards to their heavenly home. Other gifts will come in time.

Lutheran Foundation Canada 3074 Portage Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3K 0Y2 1-877-711-GIFT (4438) GIFT PLANNERS West Region Allen Schellenberg, Exec. Dir. cell: 604-817-7673 allen.schellenberg@ lutheranfoundation.ca Central Region David Friesen cell: 204-791-9949 dfriesen@lutheranfoundation.ca East Region David Faerber cell: 226-280-2620 dfaerber@lutheranfoundation.ca 2

For a detailed report each quarter, send a request to gift@lutheranfoundation.ca or visit our website, www.lutheranfoundation.ca.

Why a Congregational Gift Acceptance and Use Policy?

What would your congregation do if it received a gift of $20,000, $50,000 or maybe even $100,000? In fact, the Foundation has seen gifts as high as $250,000 or more designated for a congregation. As illustrated in the chart above, fully 1/3 of all planned gifts are going to be received by congregations. Gifts of any size can be a great blessing or a great burden to a congregation, especially if there hasn’t been any thought on how these gifts might be utilized to further their mission and ministry.

The Foundation has been helping congregations exemplify great

stewardship by encouraging the development of a Gift Acceptance and Use Policy. Not only does this enable decisions ahead of time as to how significant gifts will be used, it also creates an environment that members feel more confident about supporting.

Each congregation is unique in the way it fulfils its mission, while at the same time having other concerns like a mortgage or capital expenses. What a blessing it would be, if before any gifts arrived, your congregation understood and planned how these gifts would further your congregation’s purpose and that of the greater church.

An example of using significant estate gifts to share God’s blessings

Area of Need

Approved Target

Range Allowed

by Congregation

Local Ministry/Missions LCC Missions Mortgage Contingency Fund Seminary Student Aid Operating Budget

40% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0%

10 - 40 % 10 - 30 % 20 - 50 % 0 - 20 % 0 - 15 % 0%

For a sample Congregational Gift Acceptance and Use Policy that you can adapt for your congregation, or a commentary on why such a policy is encouraged, visit the Resource page on the Foundation’s website. www.lutheranfoundation.ca Lutheran Foundation Canada

The great tax benefits of charitable giving in Canada Perhaps you did not know, but Canada has some of the most generous tax incentives for charitable giving in the world!

What is interesting is Canadians have a good understanding of how we all contribute to society but may not think about how this contribution comes with a choice.

On the one hand, we pay taxes which the government then uses to fund programs and initiatives they feel are important. On the other hand, we can give to our chosen charities, which then provide funding for programs and initiatives that we as donors feel are important. In the first scenario we have little control over how the money is used. In the second, we have full control over who gets the gift. The government in return provides us with a great tax advantage. This blessing should not be understated. Having a government structure that values the social contribution of charities, even charities that share the gospel, is no small benefit.

A gift to charity results in a donation receipt for the value of your gift. Any charitable receipt generates a tax credit that is claimed against your income tax payable. Most taxpayers who give charitable gifts will get more back in tax per dollar than they are paying. That’s a great reason to develop your charitable gift. On a federal level, tax credits fall into three tiers; 15%, 29% and

33%. The lowest tier is for total annual donations under $200. The middle tier applies to all donations above the $200 total annual amount.

This means that any gift beyond the first $200 gives you overall tax savings between 40.16% and 50% depending on which province you live in. That is higher than the average tax rate of most middleincome Canadians. The third tier can be claimed against net income in excess of $200,000. You might think this is an unattainable income, but keep in mind, assets like your RSP/RIF are added to your income in your year of death. Even a modest RSP/RIF will potentially put you in the top income earning bracket. A good estate plan which includes a charitable gift can go a long way to offset or eliminate the taxes you might owe at death.

Three other incentives make giving to a charity a true blessing enabling you to give a larger than average gift from certain assets and reap the rewards of significant tax savings.

The first incentive applies to significant gifts made during your lifetime. A donation tax credit from a large gift can offset up to 75% of your net income the year you make the gift. If you sell property or farmland, which may incur capital gains, or come into an inheritance of significant value, you may not need

all of these funds to live on. Consider your opportunity to create a larger lifetime charitable gift to reduce your taxes that year, and carry forward any unused portion for a period of 5 years, adding to the overall benefit.

The second incentive applies to a gift in your will. This gift can offset 100% of your net income the year you die and up to 100% in the year prior to your death. In addition, your estate can even carry forward unused credits from this gift if needed.

Since your taxable income at death includes the total remaining value of your RSP/RIF, this incentive can be a significant estate planning tool. You may even eliminate all taxes at death by giving to a charity and in most cases not disadvantage your heirs.

The third incentive applies to gifts of appreciated securities. If securities are donated in-kind to a charity, as opposed to selling them, the taxpayer is exempt from capital gains tax normally owed. Depending on your tax bracket, your gift of shares becomes significantly more valuable to you and to the charity than simply giving cash.

When you consider how blessed we are to have a government that provides us with these tax incentives, it makes sense to take the time to put a plan in place. LFC can work with you to establish your best gift now, and when you die.

Lutheran Foundation Canada launches a new website www.lutheranfoundation.ca Same web address, great new content!

With the launch of our new website, our goal is to provide comprehensive information on planned giving and charitable gifts. Our hope is that all Lutheran members can make wonderful stewardship choices that reflect their faith and support their family, their church, and the ministries they value.

Lutheran Foundation Canada www.lutheranfoundation.ca

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Using life insurance to create a charitable gift Life insurance is one of the most effective ways for a donor to make a substantial gift to ministry. Either a new or existing policy can be used to create a gift beyond what might be thought possible. While there are many different types of life insurance, the principle of giving remains the same; a relatively small present gift will ultimately provide a much larger gift in the future.

An insurance policy can provide a “charitable receipt now” or “charitable receipt later” option. When a donor transfers ownership of an insurance policy to a charity, and names the charity as the beneficiary, the donor receives an immediate charitable tax receipt for the Fair Market Value of the policy, as well as any future premiums paid by the donor. When the donor dies, the charity receives the proceeds of the policy, but the estate does not get a tax receipt. This type of gift is irrevocable, but is useful if the donor prefers to receive the tax benefits while living rather than the estate at death.

Sometimes a donor only names the charity as the beneficiary of the policy. This type of gift is revocable.

It doesn’t provide any immediate tax advantage to the donor. Instead, upon the donor’s death, the estate receives a charitable tax receipt for the value of the policy. Additionally, no probate fees are realized as the gift passes outside of the estate. This option may be preferable if there will be a large tax liability in the donor’s estate upon death.

For larger policies the donor may elect to name Lutheran Foundation Canada as the beneficiary, and use a Gift Allocation Agreement to indicate how the gift is to be distributed to multiple charities.

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How charitable gifts reduce taxes

Mr. & Mrs. Smith have three children and an estate worth $500,000, including $150,000 in taxable assets. Without a charitable gift, the CRA will get $67,500 and the children will share $432,500 less probate and other costs. Each child will receive approximately $144,000.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith own a $100,000 joint, second-to-die life insurance policy. After a family discussion, they decide that naming their church as the beneficiary of this policy is a great way to leave a legacy. Upon the last to die of Mr. or Mrs. Smith, their church will receive a $100,000 gift and their estate will receive a $45,000 tax credit. Their tax bill is reduced to $22,500 and their children still receive approximately $125,000 each.

www.lutheranfoundation.ca Lutheran Foundation Canada

In Review: Aquaman Not So Serious: Aquaman Charts a New Course for DC

A

quaman is the story of Arthur Curry, the son of a lighthouse keeper and an Atlantean princess, Atlanna, who must come to terms with his royal lineage and, for the good of the whole world, fight to claim his rightful place on the throne of Atlantis. To do so, Aquaman, with the help of Atlantean princess and love interest Mera, must find the ancient and powerful Trident of the greatest king of Atlantis, King Atlan, and use it to prove his royal claim and fight his half-brother, King Orm Marius for the throne.

Secretly trained to harness his super powers for just such a purpose by the Atlantean vizier Vulko, Aquaman must also thwart his half-brother’s plan to become Ocean Master and unite the undersea kingdoms in a war against the land dwellers who pollute and harvest the world’s seas.

There’s also a sub plot concerning a family of pirates who become entangled with Aquaman. The pirate captain, David Kane, blames Arthur for his father’s death. With the aid of advanced Atlantean technology, he becomes the villain Black Manta Aquaman’s nemesis. Arthur’s regret over not saving Kane’s father when given the opportunity contributes to his reluctance to take his rightful place on the throne of Atlantis.

This places Arthur Curry into a classic trope of “The one who doesn’t necessarily want the job may in fact be better suited for it than the one who desperately wants it and will do anything to have it.”

To further complicate things, Aquaman’s brother Orm desperately wants to keep the throne and increase his dominion, believing in his heritage rights over his “half-breed” brother, since Orm is a “pure blood” Atlantean and Arthur is not.

Does some of this stuff sound familiar? Bits and pieces of 2011’s Thor and 2018’s Black Panther perhaps? There is likely a good reason. For more than fifty years, the rivalry between DC Comics and

Marvel Comics has been legendary, comparable to Pepsi versus CocaCola. Both provide similar products yet they need to be just different enough to keep the loyalty of their own audience.

This competitive approach has translated into theatres over the last ten years with both companies striving to establish their respective cinematic universes. Marvel was ahead of the curve with the surprise success of 2008’s Iron Man. DC, meanwhile, has been playing catch-up, finally producing a meta-narrative-driven interconnected universe with the release of 2013’s Man of Steel.

Generally speaking, DC Comics has released more serious and dour films while Marvel Comics’ productions hve been more upbeat and flashy.

Marvel found its footing quickly and produced an enjoyable albeit formulaic approach to their films, carefully keeping the tone in check. DC, on the other hand, has struggled to find a balance between campy cartoon and serious drama—perhaps hampered by the dark tone of Christopher Nolan’s critically acclaimed Batman trilogy Batman Begins (2005), The Dark Knight (2008), and The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

Marvel went light and pop in response to the Nolan films, resulting in the success of films like 2012’s The Avengers and 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. DC attempted to capture some of that magic with Suicide Squad in 2016 and Justice League in 2017, but these attempts were criticized as stylistically derivative of

by Ted Giese

Marvel and out of step with DC’s core identity—a judgement that continues.

Both films failed to fully commit to the light and flashy pop formula they were flirting with.

Which brings things back to the character Aquaman who DC introduced to the big screen in 2017 with Justice League. The muscular and charming Jason Momoa reprises the role in Aquaman, which takes place after the events of Justice League.

While not as dark and gritty as other DC films, Aquaman is still a little too violent for younger children.

Director James Wan successfully side steps the dreary dark look of previous DC comic book films like Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, instead providing a vibrant and bright colour palette.

Wan is better known for directing intricate rollercoaster-style horror films like Saw, Insidious, and The Conjuring, but he also proved he can do action with the fast-paced car action film Furious 7 (2016) starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Dwayne Johnson.

With Aquaman ,Wan again works to create that amusement park ride experience. What he accomplishes is admirable in its ambitions but maybe not as polished or smooth as some of his previous films. He seems to be aiming for a sort of live-action 1980s Saturday morning cartoon feel.

Everything is over the top and Wan knows it. Nothing is by accident; the film’s goofball tone is completely intentional. As soon as there is an

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN September/October 2018

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octopus playing the drums viewers know Aquaman is not going to be a dark and brooding Batman-style film.

By embracing the silliness of the Aquaman character and world, Wan’s film has more in common with screw-ball film adaptations like Mike Hodges’ 1980 take on Flash Gordon or Gary Goddard’s 1987 live-action He-Man film, Masters of the Universe.

Wan even casts Dolph Lundgren, who played He-Man in Masters of the Universe, as King Nereus.

What emerges is a film that’s more a collection of individual scenes strung together like pearls on a necklace than a cohesive whole. If a viewer doesn’t like this particular ten minutes, just wait it out and something different will come along soon.

Parts of the film, like the quest for the mythical trident of King Atlan, are shot to look almost like an Indiana Jones adventure, while other parts set in the underwater world of Atlantis look a lot like 2010’s TRON: Legacy. Other parts, featuring a Lovecraftian kaijustyle sea monster in a hollow earth ocean, are reminiscent of 2013’s Pacific Rim. There are also parts, like the scenes featuring Black Manta, which would fit perfectly into the recent Mighty Morphin Power Rangers film.

For some viewers all these nods will feel like a loving Ready Player One (2018)-style homage to more sub-genres then Aquaman could shake a trident at. For others this will be a baffling nonsensical mess. Nerds and comic book geeks will be rewarded at every turn; others will struggle to keep their heads above water.

Christian viewers may want to contemplate the theme of promise and lineage threading through Aquaman— the idea of a rightful king versus a pretender king who holds the throne without full legitimacy. In the Bible there is enmity between Adam and Eve’s sons Cain and Abel causing one brother to murder the other. Later in the Book of Genesis is the account of

fraternal twins Jacob and Esau and their birthright/blessing from their father Isaac. Then there is conflict between the sons of Jacob which lead to step-brothers plotting to kill their brother Joseph only to sell him off into slavery in Egypt. Then there is the long narrative of the two anointed kings of Israel King Saul and David.

Eventually these accounts led to the birth of the rightful ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords— Jesus the Christ. But pretenders rejected him: King Herod the Great wanted him dead when he heard of Jesus’ birth. So it is that Jesus and His

amount of distractions Wan throws at the audience.

Heroes like Aquaman or Superman in the DC comics or Thor in Marvel comics inevitably invite comparisons with Jesus. For instance, Arthur Curry is part Atlantean part human which in the film apparently qualifies him to bring both of these worlds together. On the surface, this kind of duality could be seen as a picture of the incarnation of Christ Jesus—but this isn’t the way Christians actually talk about the mystery of the two natures of Christ.

Jesus, as is confessed in the Athanasian Creed, is “Perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh.” And: “Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ: One, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God; one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ.”

Aquaman, with all his super powers and human foibles and sins, is not therefore really like the Christ of Scripture who at once is both God and man without sin. Aquaman, like many comic book heroes, is flawed, and so more closely fits the pattern of the biblical judges like Samson (Judges 13-16).

Like 2017’s Wonder Woman, Aquaman is a box office hit for the DC Cinematic Universe. The question is whether it will hold up over time or end up looking and feeling derivative of the many genres it so freely references.

Audiences will have to decide whether Aquaman is the hit it appears to be or whether it’s all wet.

Christian viewers may want to contemplate the theme of promise and lineage threading through Aquaman— the idea of a rightful king versus a pretender king or one who holds the throne without full legitimacy.

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family fled to Egypt to live in secrecy for a time before returning to their homeland later.

Bits and pieces of these biblical narratives show up in the relationship between Arthur Curry and his halfbrother Orm Marius. And while Orm starts out desiring to murder his brother Arthur like Cain and Abel, in the end their relationship has more in common with Jacob and Esau or Joseph and his step-brothers. Take all these biblical stories of brothers and rival kings and throw them in the blender with the mediaeval King Arthur legends and you get Aquaman. That said, it may be hard to make those comparisons due to the

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

Editor’s note: Aquaman has gone on to gross more than $1 Billion globally.

Rev. Ted Giese is lead pastor of Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Regina; a contributor to LCMS Reporter; and movie reviewer for the “Issues, Etc.” radio program.

ADVERTISE HERE! The Canadian Lutheran sells advertising space to help offset the cost of printing and shipping the magazine to congregations and subscribers.

To purchase classified space, or to receive a rate card for other advertising opportunities with The Canadian Lutheran, please email admin@lutheranchurch.ca or call 1-800-588-4226.

Transitions R e v. A r r o n G u s t f r o m C h r i s t (Landenburg, SK); Immanuel (Landestreu, SK); and Christ (MacNutt, SK) to Grace Lutheran Church (Regina, SK).

St. Paul Lutheran Church (Broadview, SK) building decommissioning service held January 27, 2019.

Remember Lutheran Church–Canada in your will. www.lutheranfoundation.ca

Get your plan from people who look at money differently. faithlifefinancial.ca

Helping you be wise with money and live generously.

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

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Presidential Perspective

Present in the Holy Word President Timothy Teuscher

2

019 marks the 500th Anniversary of the Leipzig Debate which was held in the summer of 1519.

At that time, Martin Luther met with the Roman theologian, Johann Eck, to debate issues surrounding indulgences, purgatory, and penance, subjects first raised as a result of Luther’s 95 Theses published two years earlier.

Discussion soon turned instead to the question of authority in the church. Near the end of the debate, Luther asserted something that was rather controversial in those days— namely, that popes, councils, and theologians were all subject to errors and mistakes, and that Holy Scripture was the supreme authority in all theological matters.

What Luther stated at Leipzig in 1519 would later be set forth in the Formula of Concord even more explicitly and clearly: “We believe, teach, and confess that the only rule and norm according to which all teachings, together with all teachers, should be evaluated and judged (2 Timothy 3:15-17) are the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the Old and New Testament alone” (FC Ep, Rule and Norm, 1).

But the Holy Scriptures are not merely the sole authority for faith, teaching, and life; they are also efficacious. While we don’t use the word ‘efficacy’ much anymore, it was used frequently in former days to express the truth that the Holy Scriptures do something—that they effect something. So we read in the Large Catechism: “The Word is so effective that whenever it is seriously contemplated, heard, and used, it is bound never to be without fruit (Isaiah 53:11; Mark 4:20). It always awakens

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new understanding, pleasure, and devoutness and produces a pure heart and pure thoughts (Philippians 4:8). For these words are not lazy or dead, but are creative, living words (Hebrews 4:12)” (LC, Part I, 101).

How are we cleansed of our sins?

Jesus Himself answers: “Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).

How are we saved from sin and death? St. Paul answers: “You have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). How do we come to saving faith in Christ?

St. John answers: “These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:3).

The season of the church year called Epiphany is about the revealing, the manifesting, the making known of Jesus as true God and the Saviour of all people. And where is Jesus? How is He revealed and made known to us today? Yes, in and through the Holy Scriptures.

We see an example of this in the wise men who came to worship the newborn King of the Jews. But there is something in this familiar account that is often overlooked.

The star that they saw in the East did not lead those wise men directly to Jesus. Instead, they go first to Jerusalem where this newborn King and Saviour was not to be found.

And why? Well, remember what happened there in Jerusalem when the wise men arrived: “When Herod the king heard this, he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people, and inquired of them where

THE CANADIAN LUTHERAN January/February 2019

the Christ was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel’” (Matthew 2:3-6).

Do you see what is going on here?

The star led the wise men first to the Word of God, and only then to the Christ Child. God did this, as Luther put it, “to teach us to cling to the Scriptures alone and not rely upon our own ideas or opinions, feelings or experiences. For it is in His Word and nowhere else that He permits Himself to be found.”

In the midst of transitions in our synodical structure, in the midst of transition and change in our congregations, let us not forget what is to be our chief concern, the heart and center of all that goes on both in our synod as a whole or in our individual congregations—namely, the revealing, manifesting, and making known of Jesus by and in and through His Word: the hearing, teaching, studying, proclaiming, and singing of that Word.

May, therefore, the prayer from the Epiphany hymn be in our minds, on our lips, and in our hearts often throughout this year of 2019: “Grant us grace to see Thee, Lord, Present in Thy holy Word— Grace to imitate Thee now And be pure, as pure art Thou; That we might become like Thee At Thy great epiphany And may praise Thee, ever blest, God in man made manifest.”

- LSB 394:4

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